Episode Summary
Executive Summary: Stephen West interviews Massimo Pigliucci about David Hume, the Enlightenment, skepticism, and Stoicism. Pigliucci argues that Hume must be understood in historical context: as a Scottish Enlightenment thinker rebuilding philosophy through empirical methods, not as a modern “new atheist.” The conversation also explores Hume’s influence on skepticism, religion, reason and passion, and how Stoic practice shapes Pigliucci’s everyday ethics and emotional life.
Main Topics: Hume in historical context: Pigliucci stresses that Hume should be read against the Enlightenment, Scottish intellectual culture, and the dangers of religious suppression, not through present-day assumptions. Hume’s project: rebuilding philosophy empirically: Hume sought to replace sterile scholasticism with philosophy informed by science, psychology, anthropology, and physics. Hume, atheism, and skepticism: The discussion distinguishes Hume’s cautious, evidence-based skepticism from modern new atheism, portraying him more as a skeptic than an activist atheist. Hume’s legacy and advice to himself: Pigliucci speculates Hume should have published certain works sooner and avoided spending too much time on history and diplomacy after his philosophical peak. Reason, passion, and practical decision-making: Hume’s view that reason serves the passions is linked to real-life choices such as love, relationships, and everyday judgment. Stoicism as a lived philosophy: Pigliucci explains his Stoic blog, why Stoicism resonates today, and how Stoic exercises have changed his temperament and ethical choices.
Key Arguments: Historical context matters because modern readers risk presentism when interpreting thinkers like Hume. Hume was part of the Scottish Enlightenment and aimed to rebuild philosophy by aligning it with empirical science. His philosophy anticipated interdisciplinary thinking: epistemology with psychology, philosophy of mind with cognitive science, causality with physics, morality with anthropology. Hume would likely reject the posture of modern new atheism, preferring calm skepticism and proportional belief. The core Humean principle is to proportion beliefs to evidence, not just to extraordinary claims. Reason alone does not motivate action; passions and values drive us, while reason serves as an instrument. Stoicism is a practical philosophy: progress comes from repeated daily exercises, not one-time insight. Stoic mindfulness can change behavior materially, including irritation levels, spending, and ethical consumption.
Data Points: Time gap: 300 years - West notes that viewers can now assess Hume’s ideas with three centuries of hindsight. Publication timing: 1776 - Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion were published after his death. Philosophical school: 3 major empiricists - Hume is grouped with Locke and Berkeley as an empiricist. Personal practice duration: a few months - Pigliucci says he had been practicing Stoicism for a few months when discussing its effects. Dietary/ethical change: local credit union - Pigliucci says he closed a bank account at a large corporate bank and moved to a local credit union due to unethical practices. Publication success: most emailed article on the entire New York Times site - Pigliucci recounts the response to his New York Times op-ed, How to Be a Stoic.
Pivotal Quotes: "an educated person ought to proportion his beliefs to the evidence" — Massimo Pigliucci: He summarizes Hume’s central epistemic principle and its modern relevance. "reason is and ought to be the slave of passions" — Massimo Pigliucci: Used to explain Hume’s view that motivation comes from desire and emotion, not reason alone. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" — Massimo Pigliucci: Discussing the skeptical tradition associated with Hume and modern skeptical inquiry.
Implications: Listeners should treat philosophy as historically situated yet still practical. Hume’s evidential skepticism remains relevant, but so does Stoicism’s daily discipline for emotional regulation, ethics, and decision-making.