Adam Smith
Wrote Smith, Wealth of Nations
(Also wrote Theory of Moral Sentiments (based on HumeHume
David Hume
Wrote Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
Wrote a History of England
Bkgrd Info
1711-1776
Scottish
studied law at 15, did not like it
self-taught in philosophy
published "Treatise of Human Understanding" at age 28
thought it would make him a rock star like Newton.
received little attention
ReidReid
Thomas Reid
Reid, Inquiry & Essays
Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate)
important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century)
Presbyterian Minister
age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen
age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland
age 27, entered Ministry
age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind
he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy
Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... & KantKant
Kant
Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment?
Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??)
Background
came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great
Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience
reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things
so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it
... were the only philosophers who took him seriously
His Philosophy
What was in the air
the rationalism and dedu...) in 1759)
Smith was a moral philosopher
Non-Christian, close friend of HumeHume
David Hume
Wrote Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
Wrote a History of England
Bkgrd Info
1711-1776
Scottish
studied law at 15, did not like it
self-taught in philosophy
published "Treatise of Human Understanding" at age 28
thought it would make him a rock star like Newton.
received little attention
ReidReid
Thomas Reid
Reid, Inquiry & Essays
Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate)
important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century)
Presbyterian Minister
age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen
age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland
age 27, entered Ministry
age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind
he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy
Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... & KantKant
Kant
Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment?
Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??)
Background
came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great
Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience
reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things
so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it
... were the only philosophers who took him seriously
His Philosophy
What was in the air
the rationalism and dedu...
"The Smith, Wealth of Nations is a very violent attack upon the whole commercial system of Great Britain." - Smith
- it was descriptive of England's economics, not prescriptive
- from the perspective of the wealth of a nation, joint-stock co is not the best model
First one to do the science of economics (part of the EnlightenmentEnlightenment
Enlightenment
17th & 18th century
church authorities challenged
free gov, free religion
key players: [[Bacon]], DescartesDescartes
Rene Descartes
Background Info
1596-1650
educated at Univ of Paris
Catholic Christian
not an academic
wrote [[Descartes, Meditations of First Philosophy]] from a [[Rationalism
rationalistic]] perspective
claims he is making a whole new start in philosophy
D. arrived at a certain and evident knowledge of the truth. He wants to see if he can persuade others by the same method that he himself used.
..., KantKant
Kant
Wrote [[Kant, What is Enlightenment?]]
Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??)
Background
came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great
Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience
reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things
so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it
..., many others
challenged monarchical structure, who gets to be king
leads to "enlightened despots"
those who rule in spirit of enlightenment (not divine right of kings, but are authoritarean)
includes Napoleon, Peter the Great, Catherine
don't assume anything; prove everything
push toward science) - first thought of economics in terms of wages, rent, & profit (GDP/capita)
- the bigger the #, the more fulfilled you are fulfilled
In savage nations, people work hard, but are so poor they sometimes have to kill off their relatives. But in civilized nations, a lot of people don't work, and consume a lot, but even a poor workman can provide for himself. (paraphrased from intro, pg LX)