Experts mark 250th anniversary of Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments

Published: 30 March 2009

Nobel prize-winning economist Amartya Sen will be among a number of academics from across the globe gathering in Glasgow to celebrate Scottish philosopher Adam Smith.

Nobel prize-winning economist Amartya Sen will be among a number of academics from across the globe gathering in Glasgow this week to celebrate Scottish philosopher Adam Smith.

Professor Sen, Lamont Professor of Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University, Massachusetts, will deliver a plenary lecture at the ‘Smith in Glasgow ’09’ conference on Thursday, April 2 looking at Smith and contemporary world.

The conference marks the 250th anniversary of the publication of Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments, the Kirkcaldy-born philosopher’s first major publication in which he posits his theory as to how humans make moral judgements.

The conference, which is part of the Scottish Government’s Homecoming Scotland programme, will see experts examine and discuss the ideas and legacy of Smith, one of Scotland’s most famous sons and the man hailed as the ‘father of modern economics’, across four different themes: Scotland and the Enlightenment; Culture, Literature and the Arts; Philosophy; and the Social Sciences.

The conference is being supported by the Earhart Foundation, IBM, the Scots Philosophical Club, the Stevenson Trust for Citizenship, and the Faculty of Law, Business and Social Sciences at the University of Glasgow.

Prof Sen was formerly Honorary President of Oxfam and is now its Honorary Advisor. Born in Santiniketan, India, Prof Sen was educated at Presidency College, Kolkatta, and Trinity College, Cambridge. His works have been translated into more than 30 languages and he received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998.

Details on registering for the event, including fees, can be found at www.gla.ac.uk/departments/smithinglasgow09

For more information contact Stuart Forsyth in the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 4831 or email s.forsyth@admin.gla.ac.uk

First published: 30 March 2009

<< March