The Social Theory of the Scottish Enlightenment

About this book

David Hume Adam Smith William Robertson Adam Ferguson Lord Kames John Millar James Dunbar and Gilbert Stuart were at the heart of Scottish Enlightenment thought. This introductory survey offers the student a clear accessible interpretation and synthesis of the social thought of these historically significant thinkers. Organised thematically it takes the student through their accounts of social institutions their critique of individualism their methodology their views of progress and of moral and cultural values. By taking human sociality as their premise the book shows how they produced important analyses of historical change politics and morality together with an assessment of their own commercial society.