Francis Hutcheson (philosopher)
Francis Hutcheson was an Irish philosopher of Scottish descent, widely regarded as one of the key figures of the early Scottish Enlightenment. He served as Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Glasgow and was a major advocate of moral sense theory, which holds that humans possess an innate sense that guides moral judgments. Hutcheson is best known for his ethical writings, in which he defends benevolence as the primary source of moral virtue and anticipates later utilitarian theories with his formulation of "the greatest happiness for the greatest number".
Career Journey
Background
- Born in
- Saintfield
- Educated at
- University of Glasgow
- Doctoral Students
- 📖 Adam Smith
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Timeline
1694
Born
Birth1746
Died
Death
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Influenced
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Source Attribution
Information about Francis Hutcheson (philosopher) is sourced from curated knowledge bases and cross-referenced for accuracy. Influence relationships are scored by thematic overlap and historical plausibility.
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