Hume's Natural Philosophy and Philosophy of Physical Science

This book contextualizes David Humes philosophy of physical science, exploring both Humes background in the history of early modern natural philosophy and its subsequent impact on the scientific tradition. Drawing on Cartesian cosmology and Einsteins special relativity, and taking in topics including experimentalism, causation, laws of nature, metaphysics of forces, mathematics relation to nature, and the concepts of space and time, this book deepens our understanding of Humes relation to natural philosophy. It does so in addition by situating Humes thought within the context of other major philosophers and scientists, including Descartes, Locke, Boyle, Kant, Newton, and Leibniz. Demonstrating above all Humes understanding of the fluid relationship between philosophy and science, Humes Natural Philosophy and Philosophy of Physical Science will provide new insights for historians and philosophers of science.