David Hume filósofo e historiador

Among all the great philosophers, David Hume has the rare merit of joining to a properly philosophical work an equally important output as historian. According to him, the interpretation of history by means of the general principles of political theory must not be guided by ethical or normative considerations, as when judging historic events according to what things ought to be, for instance, in view of the best government, but it should be restricted to explain the exercise of power in the different times, just as it can be established by the testimony of the sources. Only this methodological attitude allows us to avoid the partisan interpretations that try to justify the present by the past, instead of investigating it to corroborate the most appropriate explanation