(1711-1776) Scottish philosopher whose Treatise of Human Nature 1739–40 is a central text of British empiricism. Examining meticulously our modes of thinking, he concluded that they are more habitual than rational. Consequently, he not only held that speculative metaphysics was impossible, but also arrived at generally skeptical positions about reason, causation, necessity, identity, and the self.
Hume became secretary to the British embassy in Paris 1763. His History of Great Britain 1754–62 was popular within his own lifetime but A Treatise of Human Nature was indifferently received. However, the German philosopher Immanuel Kant claimed that Hume’s skepticism woke him from his “dogmatic slumbers”. Among Hume’s other publications is the Inquiry concerning the Principles of Morals 1751.
Hume’s law in moral philosophy states that it is never possible to deduce evaluative conclusions from factual premises; this has come to be known as the “is/ought problem”.

Australian explorer. In 1824, with William Hovell, he led an expedition from Sydney to the Murray River and Port Phillip. The Melbourne–Sydney Hume Highway is named for him.

(1859-1932) British writer. Educated in New Zealand, he returned to England in 1888; his Mystery of a Hansom Cab 1887 was one of the first detective stories.

(1923-) English Roman Catholic cardinal from 1976. A Benedictine monk, he was abbot of Ampleforth in Yorkshire 1963–76, and in 1976 became archbishop of Westminster, the first monk to hold the office.

1. Town in Missouri (USA).
2. Village in Illinois (USA); zip code 61932.