Millar, John - Revision history

Toubiana at 01:55, 9 May 2008

2008-05-09T01:55:58Z

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	'''Millar, John''' (1735-1801): Scottish, Philosopher.		'''Millar, John''' (1735-1801): Scottish, Philosopher.

	A leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, James Millar was professor of law at the University of Glasgow for forty years and a significant early sociologist. Millar was born in 1735 in Shotts, Scotland into a family of ministers. He studied at the University of Glasgow from age eleven, attending [[Smith, Adam]]’s first lectures. Moving to Edinburgh to study law, he was employed tutoring the son of Henry Home, [[Kames, Henry Home, Lord]]. There he became friends with David ~~Hume~~ and James Watt. He was appointed Glasgow’s professor of civil law in 1761 due to the influence of Kames and Smith. A remarkably engaging teacher, he attracted students from as far away as Russia. Millar and [[Reid, Thomas]], a fellow Glasgow professor, were personally friendly but intellectually combative.		A leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, James Millar was professor of law at the University of Glasgow for forty years and a significant early sociologist. Millar was born in 1735 in Shotts, Scotland into a family of ministers. He studied at the University of Glasgow from age eleven, attending [[Smith, Adam]]’s first lectures. Moving to Edinburgh to study law, he was employed tutoring the son of Henry Home, [[Kames, Henry Home, Lord]]. There he became friends with [[Hume, David]] and James Watt. He was appointed Glasgow’s professor of civil law in 1761 due to the influence of Kames and Smith. A remarkably engaging teacher, he attracted students from as far away as Russia. Millar and [[Reid, Thomas]], a fellow Glasgow professor, were personally friendly but intellectually combative.

	Millar trained and inspired a whole generation of Scottish and English lawyers and politicians. A Whig in politics, he supported both the American and French revolutions and abolition of the slave trade. His ''The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks'' (1771) was a critical contribution to sociology in the speculative-historical tradition. Influenced by Smith’s four-stage theory (that societies evolved through four stages: hunting, pastoral, agricultural and commercial), it develops an economic/sociological account of human social relationships, emphasizing the gradual improvement of women’s rights. Millar’s liberal ''Historical View of the English Government'' (1787) was partly a response to Hume’s Tory ''History of England'' (1752-62).		Millar trained and inspired a whole generation of Scottish and English lawyers and politicians. A Whig in politics, he supported both the American and French revolutions and abolition of the slave trade. His ''The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks'' (1771) was a critical contribution to sociology in the speculative-historical tradition. Influenced by Smith’s four-stage theory (that societies evolved through four stages: hunting, pastoral, agricultural and commercial), it develops an economic/sociological account of human social relationships, emphasizing the gradual improvement of women’s rights. Millar’s liberal ''Historical View of the English Government'' (1787) was partly a response to Hume’s Tory ''History of England'' (1752-62).

Toubiana at 20:40, 13 April 2008

2008-04-13T20:40:03Z

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	W. C. Lehmann, ''John Millar of Glasgow'', 1960.		W. C. Lehmann, ''John Millar of Glasgow'', 1960.


	'''Nicholas Hunt-Bull'''		'''Nicholas Hunt-Bull'''

			Southern New Hampshire University

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'''Millar, John''' (1735-1801): Scottish, Philosopher.

A leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, James Millar was professor of law at the University of Glasgow for forty years and a significant early sociologist. Millar was born in 1735 in Shotts, Scotland into a family of ministers. He studied at the University of Glasgow from age eleven, attending [[Smith, Adam]]’s first lectures. Moving to Edinburgh to study law, he was employed tutoring the son of Henry Home, [[Kames, Henry Home, Lord]]. There he became friends with David Hume and James Watt. He was appointed Glasgow’s professor of civil law in 1761 due to the influence of Kames and Smith. A remarkably engaging teacher, he attracted students from as far away as Russia. Millar and [[Reid, Thomas]], a fellow Glasgow professor, were personally friendly but intellectually combative.

Millar trained and inspired a whole generation of Scottish and English lawyers and politicians. A Whig in politics, he supported both the American and French revolutions and abolition of the slave trade. His ''The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks'' (1771) was a critical contribution to sociology in the speculative-historical tradition. Influenced by Smith’s four-stage theory (that societies evolved through four stages: hunting, pastoral, agricultural and commercial), it develops an economic/sociological account of human social relationships, emphasizing the gradual improvement of women’s rights. Millar’s liberal ''Historical View of the English Government'' (1787) was partly a response to Hume’s Tory ''History of England'' (1752-62).

Further Reading:

W. C. Lehmann, ''John Millar of Glasgow'', 1960.

'''Nicholas Hunt-Bull'''