Hume's Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals
1751
The Edinburgh philosopher, never given a university chair for his unbelief, published what he considered his best book - a calm, elegant argument that morality arose from feeling and usefulness, not divine command. It sold poorly at first. But every British ethical philosophy after it had to answer to Hume's calm smile.
In context
Also in 1751 (4 other events on record)
- First Volume of Diderot's Encyclopédie · Europe · Culture
- Clive Seizes Arcot · South Asia · War
- Franklin's Experiments on Electricity · North America · Science
- Nader Shah's Empire Dissolves · Middle East · Politics
Before and after in Europe
Before and after in Culture
Era
Enlightenment (1651–1800), one of 696 events from that era on Saeculum.