Hume's ambivalent ideas of 'sympathy' and 'common interest': The roots of formation and dissolution of human society

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03574
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Economic doctrine/Economic thought
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: Mori Naohito 高知大学, 教育研究部人文社会科学系人文社会科学部門, 教授 (20467856)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-10-21 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ヒューム / スコットランド啓蒙 / 共感 / 共同の利益 / イングランド史 / 文明 / 主権 / 商業社会

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Initially, this research aimed to construct a systematic reading of several major works of David Hume by examining his ideas of ‘sympathy’ and ‘common interest’ as ambivalent roots forming, but possibly dissolving, human society. As the research proceeded, however, it turned out another element needed to be incorporated in order to fully make sense of his thinking about ambivalence. More specifically, the link between sovereign power and commercial society presumably plays a role to regulate the ambivalent nature of human society in Hume’s view. Based upon this notion, this research has examined his narratives on the interrelated evolution of sovereign power and commercial society in his Essays and History, and put forward several parts of the investigation thus far: two book chapters, one in-house journal paper, one book review, five presentations at international conferences and seminars.

Free Research Field

社会思想史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、ヒューム研究への貢献と経済学成立の前史に関する問題提起にある。ヒュームの思想に安定した社会の理念型を見出す解釈は（特に日本で）有力だが、本研究は彼に人間の社会的本性の不安定性と、商業と主権の結合によるその統制の認識を見出す。これは彼の近代社会認識をめぐる議論の発展への貢献となり、また経済学成立の土壌をなすスコットランドの商業社会認識の政治的含意に関する問題提起となる。また商業と主権の結合の認識は、学術の分業化が進み、政治と経済の連関を専門的に問うことが困難な現代の状況に対しても、一つの思考の可能性を提供するという社会的意義を持つと思われる。