The question whether it is possible to be both a Humean and a contractarian arises from the interpretation of Hume as a … interpretation is unconvincing and anachronistic. The real reason why it is problematic to view Hume as a contractarian is not … because he is proponent of spontaneous order, but because he is a virtue-ethicist. I argue that Hume adopted and elaborated on …

Hume developed an original and revolutionary theoretical paradigm for explaining the spontaneous emergence of the … classic conventions of justice—stable possession, transference of property by consent, and the obligation to fulfill promises …. In a scenario of scarce external resources, Hume’s central idea is that the development of the rules of justice responds …