About
Adam Smith, baptized on 5 June 1723 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, is a major figure of the Scottish Enlightenment. He studied at the University of Glasgow and Oxford, then gave lectures in Edinburgh. Professor of logic and then moral philosophy at Glasgow, he published in 1759 The Theory of Moral Sentiments, establishing his doctrine of sympathy. In 1776, he published The Wealth of Nations, the foundational text of classical economics, developing the concepts of division of labour and the invisible hand. He died in Edinburgh on 17 July 1790.
* 1723-06-05 — † 1790-07-17
Major works
- The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759)philosophical treatise
- An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776)economic treatise
Key milestones
- 1751Appointed Professor of Logic at the University of Glasgow, then transferred to the Chair of Moral Philosophy in 1752.
- 1777Appointed Commissioner of Customs for Scotland, a position he held until his death.
- 1787Elected Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow.
Themes
political economymoral philosophydivision of labourinvisible handScottish Enlightenment
Sources: gla.ac.uk · britannica.com · oxfordreference.com
