A Humean Williams and a Williamsian Hume

If one browses through Bernard Williams’s work, one might conclude that David Hume does not represent a predominant source of inspiration for him. This chapter tries to show that this is not the case; there are many elements in Williams’s theoretical approach, from his early papers to his late reflection on genealogy, that can be interpreted in a Humean light, revealing more than just a superficial resemblance. In turn, Hume proves to be less of a straightforward optimist than Williams believed when seen in relation to Williams’s philosophical concerns. Thus, the connection between the two will be reconstructed with the aim of illuminating how Williams, although not a declared Humean, was much closer to the great Scot than may appear at first sight.