The Scottish Enlightenment

Examines the achievements and legacy of the Scottish Enlightenment, drawing inspiration from the work of Christopher Berry

• Focuses on key Scottish Enlightenment ideas: political economy, the science of human nature, self-interest, commerce, politics and luxury
• Surveys the achievements of recent literature on the Scottish Enlightenment and identifies areas for future research
• Draws on a range of disciplines: philosophy, economics, history and politics
• Contributors include Ana Marta Gonzalez (University of Navarra), Ryan Patrick Hanley (Boston College), Naohito Mori (Kochi University) and Spyridon Tegos (University of Crete)
• Adds to the history of social and political philosophy

This collection of 11 specially commissioned essays examines the transformative contribution of the Scottish Enlightenment to modernity by examining three central themes: the Scots’ pioneering conception of commercial society, the equally pioneering development of the Scots ‘science of human nature’ and the emergence of the modern political economy.

An international group of Scottish Enlightenment scholars, from a variety of disciplines, explore these themes with a special focus on Adam Smith and David Hume. They take their launching point from the work of Professor Christopher J. Berry, who is internationally known and respected for his work to establish the coherence and significance of the Scottish Enlightenment.

The Scottish Enlightenment has been one of the growth fields in scholarship on 18th-century intellectual history. The era is renowned for its contributions to understanding the emergence of the human sciences, its framing of modern political economy and its pioneering study of commercial society.