Of the Immortality of the Soul

“Heaven and hell suppose two distinct species of men, the good and the bad. But the greatest part of mankind float between vice and virtue.” —David Hume

The essay, Of the Immortality of the Soul, was originally planned for publication in a 1755 collection called Five Dissertations. However, philosopher David Hume decided to withdraw this and another essay (Of Suicide). Both these essays were published anonymously and posthumously in 1777. The current edition follows the 1755 version.

In this essay, Hume presents many arguments against considerations of an afterlife. He offers them under three broad headings, metaphysical, moral, and physical. Of the Immortality of the Soul is one of Hume’s shortest essays, but with enduring value for modern-day philosophers and other readers interested in Western philosophy.