Scottish Enlightenment and Franklin and Jefferson
I came across this short piece on some connections between Adam Smith, David Hume, and the American founders.
Hume writing to Benjamin Franklin in 1762: “I am sure America has sent us many good things; gold, silver, sugar, tobacco, indigo, etc., but you are the first philosopher, and indeed the first great man of letters for whom we are beholden to her.”
Thomas Jefferson on Adam Smith’s work: “In political economy, I think Smith’s ‘Wealth of Nations’ the best book extant.”
Does anyone know of a systematic treatment of the intellectual connections between the Scottish Enlightenment and the American founders? There is this book by Robert Galvin. Other recommendations?
[Update: David Shellenberger sent me this link on Thomas Jefferson's copy of Smith's Wealth of Nations.]
Tags: Adam Smith, Benjamin Franklin, David Hume, David Shellenberger, Robert Galvin, Thomas Jefferson
~Scotland and America in the Age of Enlightenment~ its a collection of essays edited by Richard Sher and Jeffery Smitten
Thanks, SM. I’ll check it out.
Not without interest : Einstein acknowledged Hume as his major philosophical influence.
Go, Al, go!