Robert Burns and the Philosophers

This volume expounds the influence of Robert Burns's reading of Philosophyon his life and work, supplementing this with his personal encounterswith those philosophers he met. The work begins with theHomespun Philosophy of his early years under the tutelage of WilliamBurnes and John Murdoch, then examines in detail some of the texts ofJohn Locke, Adam Smith and Francis Hutcheson, including other writerswho reflect Hutcheson's thinking. Further chapters include the explorationon Thomas Reid, Dugald Stewart, Archibald Alison and WilliamGreenfield. Robert Burns and the Philosophers does not purport to be awork of philosophy but rather to show the poet's reaction to the subjectand the development of his understanding. This work opens up a subjectthat hitherto has been almost unexplored.