As I anticipated, I have arrived at a problem that I am not sure how to solve. The next several posts of this tutorial are intended to explain and expound the central doctrines of Book I, Parts III [causation] and IV [our belief in the continued and independent existence of objects.] Half a century and more, I published an essay in which I discussed these matters, and all this time later, I do not think I can do it any better than I did there. The essay, "Hume's Theory of Mental Activity," is posted on box.net, where, at this point, it has been previewed or downloaded seventy-eight times. I really do not want to try to re-write what I wrote successfully [or so I believe] in 1960, so the natural solution is to insert lengthy excerpts from the essay in this tutorial. But that will be terminally boring to those faithful readers who have in fact followed my exhortations and looked at the 1960 essay.
Meanwhile, Susie and I are preparing to go to Paris on Tuesday, so I am engaged with last-minute preparations. What to do?
I think I will take a break at this point, meditate on my options, and return to the tutorial once I have arrived in Paris. In the interim, I may post a comment or two on the passing scene, but think of this as a Labor Day suspension of classes.
