Hume's critique of the contract theory

Authors: Buckle S.; Castiglione D.

Source: History of Political Thought, Volume 12, Number 3, 1991 , pp. 457-480(24)

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Abstract:

The object of this paper is to put Hume's criticism of the ‘fashionable theory’ of the original contract within its proper contexts. This will enable us to show the inner coherence of Hume's arguments, but also their pronounced difference from those characteristically modern versions of contract theory which, like Rawls's, appeal to the notion of a hypothetical contract. We begin, however, with a few observations on the history of contract theories.

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: La Trobe University.

Publication date: 1991-01-01