An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals

by David Hume

"An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals" by David Hume is a philosophical work published in 1751. Hume argues that morality is grounded in sentiment and feeling rather than reason alone. Through empirical investigation of how humans actually make moral judgments, he develops a sympathy-based theory that rejects pure self-interest and embraces altruistic concern. The work presents a virtue ethics framework, controversially dismissing certain religious virtues as harmful to human flourishing and social utility.