Hume’s Treatise and the personal identity literature

Which parts of the Treatise does the literature read?

Every square below is one paragraph of Hume’s Treatise of Human Nature, in order, shaded by how often 100 papers on Hume and personal identity cite it. The heavy rows are Book 1, Part 4, Section 6 and the Appendix; the interesting finds are the faint squares far from them.

100

papers

3,191

citations found

1135 / 1,375

paragraphs reached by a citation

rare passages with a focused citer

The Treatise as a map

ThemeDecade

Fewer citesmorenot citedone of the 15 core paragraphsfootnote

Introduction

Book 1: Of the Understanding

Part 1: Of Ideas, their Origin, Composition, Connexion, Abstraction, &c

1.1.1 Of the Origin of our Ideas

1.1.2 Division of the subject

1.1.3 Of the ideas of the memory and imagination

1.1.4 Of the connexion or association of ideas

1.1.5 Of relations

1.1.6 Of modes and substances

1.1.7 Of abstract ideas

Part 2: Of the ideas of space and time

1.2.1 Of the infinite divisibility of our ideas of space and time

1.2.2 Of the infinite divisibility of space and time

1.2.3 Of the other qualities of our ideas of space and time

1.2.4 Objections answer'd

1.2.5 The same subject continu'd

1.2.6 Of the idea of existence, and of external existence

Part 3: Of knowledge and probability

1.3.1 Of knowledge

1.3.2 Of probability; and of the idea of cause and effect

1.3.3 Why a cause is always necessary

1.3.4 Of the component parts of our reasonings concerning cause and effect

1.3.5 Of the impressions of the senses and memory

1.3.6 Of the inference from the impression to the idea

1.3.7 Of the nature of the idea or belief

1.3.8 Of the causes of belief

1.3.9 Of the effects of other relations and other habits

1.3.10 Of the influence of belief

1.3.11 Of the probability of chances

1.3.12 Of the probability of causes

1.3.13 Of unphilosophical probability

1.3.14 Of the idea of necessary connexion

1.3.15 Rules by which to judge of causes and effects

1.3.16 Of the reason of animals

Part 4: Of the Sceptical and other systems of philosophy

1.4.1 Of scepticism with regard to reason

1.4.2 Of scepticism with regard to the senses

1.4.3 Of the antient philosophy

1.4.4 Of the modern philosophy

1.4.5 Of the immateriality of the soul

1.4.6 Of personal identity

1.4.7 Conclusion of this book

Book 2: Of the Passions

Part 1: Of Pride and Humility

2.1.1 Division of the Subject

2.1.2 Of pride and humility; their objects and causes

2.1.3 Whence these objects and causes are deriv'd

2.1.4 Of the relations of impressions and ideas

2.1.5 Of the influence of these relations on pride and humility

2.1.6 Limitations of this system

2.1.7 Of vice and virtue

2.1.8 Of beauty and deformity

2.1.9 Of external advantages and disadvantages

2.1.10 Of property and riches

2.1.11 Of the love of fame

2.1.12 Of the pride and humility of animals

Part 2: Of love and hatred

2.2.1 Of the object and causes of love and hatred

2.2.2 Experiments to confirm this system

2.2.3 Difficulties solv'd

2.2.4 Of the love of relations

2.2.5 Of our esteem for the rich and powerful

2.2.6 Of benevolence and anger

2.2.7 Of compassion

2.2.8 Of malice and envy

2.2.9 Of the mixture of benevolence and anger with compassion and malice

2.2.10 Of respect and contempt

2.2.11 Of the amorous passion, or love betwixt the sexes

2.2.12 Of the love and hatred of animals

Part 3: Of the will and direct passions

2.3.1 Of liberty and necessity

2.3.2 The same subject continu'd

2.3.3 Of the influencing motives of the will

2.3.4 Of the causes of the violent passions

2.3.5 Of the effects of custom

2.3.6 Of the influence of the imagination on the passions

2.3.7 Of contiguity and distance in space and time

2.3.8 The same subject continu'd

2.3.9 Of the direct passions

2.3.10 Of curiosity, or the love of truth

Book 3: Of Morals

Part 1: Of Virtue and Vice in general

3.1.1 Moral Distinctions not deriv'd from Reason

3.1.2 Moral distinctions deriv'd from a moral sense

Part 2: Of justice and injustice

3.2.1 Justice, whether a natural or artificial virtue?

3.2.2 Of the origin of justice and property

3.2.3 Of the rules, which determine property

3.2.4 Of the transference of property by consent

3.2.5 Of the obligation of promises

3.2.6 Some farther reflections concerning justice and injustice

3.2.7 Of the origin of government

3.2.8 Of the source of allegiance

3.2.9 Of the measures of allegiance

3.2.10 Of the objects of allegiance

3.2.11 Of the laws of nations

3.2.12 Of chastity and modesty

Part 3: Of the other virtues and vices

3.3.1 Of the origin of the natural virtues and vices

3.3.2 Of greatness of mind

3.3.3 Of goodness and benevolence

3.3.4 Of natural abilities

3.3.5 Some farther reflections concerning the natural virtues

3.3.6 Conclusion of this book

Appendix

Abstract

Focus and surprise

Each dot is a paper with at least 10 citations. Focus is the share of its citations on the 15 most-cited paragraphs; surprise is how unlikely its rarest precise citation was, given how much the paper cites. Papers in the shaded corner stay on personal identity and still bring in something almost nobody else cites.

Most cited paragraphs

T 1.4.6.4 reached by 57 papers
But setting aside some metaphysicians of this kind, I may venture to affirm of the rest of mankind, that they …
T 1.4.6.3 reached by 55 papers
But farther, what must become of all our particular perceptions upon this hypothesis? All these are different,…
T 1.4.6.18 reached by 52 papers
To begin with resemblance; suppose we cou'd see clearly into the breast of another, and observe that successio…
T 1.4.6.2 reached by 51 papers
Unluckily all these positive assertions are contrary to that very experience, which is pleaded for them, nor h…
T 1.4.6.5 reached by 51 papers
What then gives us so great a propension to ascribe an identity to these successive perceptions, and to suppos…
T 1.4.6.6 reached by 51 papers
We have a distinct idea of an object, that remains invariable and uninterrupted thro' a suppos'd variation of …
T 1.4.6.16 reached by 51 papers
But lest this argument shou'd not convince the reader; tho'; in my opinion perfectly decisive; let him weigh t…
T 1.4.6.20 reached by 51 papers
As memory alone acquaints us with the continuance and extent of this succession of perceptions, 'tis to be con…

Rare passages

T 1.4.4.2 cited directly by 2 papers
The opinions of the antient philosophers, their fictions of substance and accident, and their reasonings conce…
T 1.4.4.3 cited directly by 2 papers
The fundamental principle of that philosophy is the opinion concerning colours, sounds, tastes, smells, heat a…
T 2.1.11.9 cited directly by 2 papers
'Tis now time to turn our view from the general consideration of sympathy, to its influence on pride and humil…
T 3.2.1.2 cited directly by 1 paper
'Tis evident, that when we praise any actions, we regard only the motives that produced them, and consider the…
T 1.3.11.1 cited directly by 2 papers
BUT in order to bestow on this system its full force and evidence, we must carry our eye from it a moment to c…
T 1.3.11.2 cited directly by 2 papers
Those philosophers, who have divided human reason into knowledge and probability, and have defin'd the first t…
T 1.3.11.3 cited directly by 2 papers
Probability or reasoning from conjecture may be divided into two kinds, viz. that which is founded on chance, …
T 1.2.3.5 cited directly by 1 paper
Suppose that in the extended object, or composition of colour'd points, from which we first receiv'd the idea …