Scotland's 'science of man'

Scotland's development of what David Hume termed the 'science of man', an empirical scientific investigation of human nature, was the country's greatest contribution to the wider Enlightenment. In this paper the science of man is defined, and its Scottish dimension is articulated. Four case studies are then presented, Adam Smith's concept of sympathy, Adam Ferguson's concept of the state of nature, Thomas Reid's concept of common sense, and finally Ferguson's practical political reply, in his 'Reflections previous to the establishment of a militia', (1756), to the Westminster parliament's defeat of the Scotch Militia Bill. It is argued that Ferguson's 'Reflections' constitutes a significant contribution to the Sccottish 'science of man' project