ABSTRACT
Public reason theories embrace the idea that principles, rules, or institutions have authority only if those who fall within their scope have independent reason to accept them. David Hume is sometimes mentioned in passing in discussions of public reason. But he rarely figures prominently. This is understandable. Yet leaving Hume to one side represents an important opportunity missed. This chapter first briefly highlights why Hume rarely figures in discussions of public reason and then exploits the missed opportunity. The artificial virtues are, on Hume's view, essentially reciprocal, reflecting what people owe to each other in light of their mutually restricting what they willingly do in light of others similarly imposing such restrictions on themselves. As with conventions concerning property, promises, and allegiance, Hume is well aware that not all moral concepts are created equal: only some will have a claim to authority, while many will not.
