On the Scottish distinctiveness from late scholasticism to the Scottish enlightenment a preliminary perspective

Abstract

The Scottish Enlightenment is considered a crucial turning point in the history of philosophy. However, as a whole, it cannot be understood without an in-depth analysis of its historical process, beyond its geographic and temporal circumstances. The main aim of this brief article is to demonstrate a common thread in the evolution of the ideas that links the period of Late Scholasticism through the Scottish Enlightenment. In a preliminary perspective, some points will be taken into account: 1) the evolution of legal systems shared by Continental Europeans and Scots, 2) the importance of the Franciscan Medieval tradition, and finally 3) the cross-pollination of proto-economic philosophy through educational institutions and teaching between Europe and Scotland.