Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Adam Smith and Religion

The Alleged Religiosity of Adam Smith”, a paper I presented at the Summer School for the Preservation of the History of Economics held at the University of Richmond, Virginia, was video-recorded and is on You Tube (HERE).

It is not of high quality, at least on my PC - it's actually quite awful (I only became aware of a tv camera when well into my talk) – but if you persevere you will get an idea of my theme, which I have been working on for a number of years now and which is the subject of my chapter for the Oxford Adam Smith Handbook 2011.

The discussion that followed was challenging, and went on informally afterwards.

You will also catch a glimpse of the excellent facilities at the Summer School for listening live to a number of leading lights (and newer scholars) in the field of the history of economic thought and for discussing with them informally in a productive learning environment.

The June 2011 Summer Institute is at the planning stage and I shall post details on Lost Legacy as I receive them from Sandra Peart and David Levy, the organisers.

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3 Comments:

Blogger entech said...

Thank you for the link, a very interesting lecture and a better (and longer) question time than is usual.
Several other related talks are available on the university site and I will be watching them all, disappointed not to find Professor Hill’s lecture was not available. Always interested in other viewpoints.
I think prudence not providence was the stronger influence in Smith’s writing. Any deeply held religious views would have been stated explicitly.
In your previous post “An Indian Review of Nicholas Phillipson's New Book”, there is quote from Amartya Sen. I recently watched a lecture by Dr. Sen from Duke University called “The uses and abuses of Adam Smith” , there was no mention of invisible hands in the lecture or in the questions.
On book reviews I have just received a copy of your own book on Adam Smith and am almost through a first reading. A brief review: a very ‘Scottish enlightening’ all the more enjoyable from having attended one of your lectures (albeit in the “virtual world”).

David

3:27 am  
Blogger entech said...

Thank you for the link, a very interesting lecture and a better (and longer) question time than is usual.
Several other related talks are available on the university site and I will be watching them all, disappointed not to find Professor Hill’s lecture was not available. Always interested in other viewpoints.
I think prudence not providence was the stronger influence in Smith’s writing. Any deeply held religious views would have been stated explicitly.
In your previous post “An Indian Review of Nicholas Phillipson's New Book”, there is quote from Amartya Sen. I recently watched a lecture by Dr. Sen from Duke University called “The uses and abuses of Adam Smith” , there was no mention of invisible hands in the lecture or in the questions.
On book reviews I have just received a copy of your own book on Adam Smith and am almost through a first reading. A brief review: a very ‘Scottish enlightening’ all the more enjoyable from having attended one of your lectures (albeit in the “virtual world”).

David

3:28 am  
Blogger Gavin Kennedy said...

David
The Richmond Summer Institute has 3-days of presentations followed by Q & As. Informality is evident throughout. Some of the top scholars in the history of Economic Thought are present and participate. Feedback between sessions is excellent. Grad students attend also and fully participate.

Sen is particularly good on Smithian thought. I have also attended his lectures and seminars since the 1960s. He is an excellent teacher and lives Smithian morality.

Gavin

3:36 pm  

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