This book investigates whether David Hume’s philosophical framework can be reconciled as both projective and realist regarding causal power, the self, and value. P. J. E. Kail, a scholar of early modern philosophy, analyzes the specific metaphors Hume employs—such as the mind 'gilding and staining' objects—to determine if these descriptions imply a subjectivist projection or an underlying realist commitment. The work provides a rigorous examination of the tension between Hume’s psychological accounts of belief and his ontological claims about the world.

Scholars frequently cite this work as a significant contribution to the debate surrounding Humean interpretation, particularly regarding the consistency of his metaphysical views. Experts note the text's analytical rigor and its success in clarifying the often-misunderstood metaphor of projection in Hume’s philosophy.