Hume in Context of Earlier Philosophy

In this highly recommended powerpoint, "The Significance of David Hume," Dr. Peter Millican of Oxford's Hertford College succinctly sketches the early philosophical context against which Hume propounds his scepticist manifesto.  Millican emphatically portrays Hume as "The Great Infidel," pointing to Hume's virulent polemics against Christianity.  But, Millican goes on, Hume has a "Big Problem":

• "[According to Hume] Religious belief is founded on 'whimsies and prejudices' of the imagination. 

• Science is founded on the instinctive, non-rational belief in uniformity. 

•  So what right has Hume to prefer "science" over "superstition?"

This is a topic on which Dr. Millican has written extensively; see his excellent website, davidhume.com, for further resources.  

http://www.davidhume.org/papers/millican/2006%20Hume's%20Significance%20ppt.pdf