Adam Smith's Debts to Nature.

SMITH, Adam, 1723-1790; HUTCHESON, Francis, 1694-1746

The article suggests Adam Smith's indebtedness to concepts rather than methods of early modern natural philosophy. Smith was the towering figure of Enlightenment political economy, a stature he attained in his own lifetime much as Sir Isaac Newton had in his. Smith, however, did not view himself as an economist. He was a professor of logic and moral philosophy, with a wide range of interests, including jurisprudence, natural philosophy, rhetoric and belles lettres. His most influential teacher was Francis Hutcheson, who served as professor of moral philosophy at Glasgow but who also had a solid grounding in logic and natural philosophy, including Newtonian physics. Hutcheson was known for promoting the methods of Newton in other fields and is credited with inspiring Smith for doing just that in moral philosophy. One of the more memorable courses Smith took from Hutcheson was on the subject of Pneumaticks, by which was meant the science of spirits or spiritual beings. Smith also took courses from Robert Dick on experimental physics, a subject that was much emphasized in the Glasgow curriculum. After his student days, Smith forged friendships with the leading savants of Scotland.