The Infidel and the Professor by Dennis C. Rasmussen
Adam Smith. We’ve all heard of him and his invisible hands. Smith was a revered professor of moral philosophy, the ultimate establishment figure of the early Scottish Enlightenment, and is now often hailed as the founding father of capitalism. In contrast, David Hume, though widely regarded as the most important philosopher ever to write in English, during his lifetime was labelled as the Great Infidel, notorious for his skeptical religious views and deemed unfit to be teaching. Remarkably, these iconic thinkers were in fact best friends!
We’ve all read several books about ideology and philosophical crashes, and biographies featuring archenemies and lifetime rivals, yet less book were written about friendships among famous philosophers.
A likely reason why friendships are more difficult to bring to life than feuds and quarrels is because conflict makes for high drama, while camaraderie does not. Think of the books about philosophical crashes we’ve read: David Edmonds and John Eidinow’s Wittegenstein’s Poker and Rousseau’s Dog, Yuval Levin’s The Great Debate, Steven Nadler’s The Best of All Possible Worlds, Matthew Stewart’s The Courtier and the Heretic, and Robert Zaretsky and John Scott’s The Philosophers’ Quarrel, to name only a few recent titles—but far fewer on philosophical friendships.
John Locke and Isaac Newton admired each other but can hardly be classified as close friends. Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir had more of a romantic relationship than friendship. Thus, when I came across this book about the friendship between David Hume and Adam Smith, I was more than thrilled.
The Infidel and the Professor is a book that painted a vivid portrait of the fascinating friendship of David Hume and Adam Smith. In addition to that, the author, Rasmussen, provided a road map of the development of Smith’s ideas based on his personal history and the broader political, social, theological and academic environments. Throughout the book, Rasmussen, shed new light on the surprising depth and nature of the intellectual and personal influence of the radical skeptic philosopher David Hume on Smith. If Smith was the ultimate establishment figure, Hume was the ultimate subversive.
Widely viewed as one of the greatest philosophers to ever to write in English, Hume had already gained international renown before Smith produced his first book. Yet Hume’s radical ideas, particularly on the nature of religious belief, ensured that he could never secure a university position of any kind — and prompted two failed efforts by the Church of Scotland to have him excommunicated.
One thing I appreciated is how Rasmussen exhibited a remarkable capacity for elucidating Hume’s skepticism and Smith’s economic theories, guiding readers through the complexities of their intellectual landscapes without compromising scholarly depth.
In addition, the way Rasmussen wrote about the camaraderie between Hume and Smith introduced an interesting layer to the narrative. The divergent personas of the skeptical and witty Hume, juxtaposed with the reserved and introspective Smith, yielded a dynamic interplay that captivated the reader. Rasmussen accentuated their intellectual disparities and shared experiences, providing a discerning glimpse into the human facets of these influential figures.
Overall, this book is a masterful exploration of intellectual and personal landscapes, skillfully navigating the intricate terrain of 18th-century Enlightenment thought through the lens of David Hume and Adam Smith. Rasmussen's erudite narrative transcended conventional biographical accounts, offering readers a profound understanding of the complex philosophical ideas that shaped the modern world. By rendering Hume's skepticism and Smith's economic theories, Rasmussen bridged the gap between scholarly rigor and broad readership. The portrayal of the friendship between Hume and Smith not only enhanced the intellectual discourse but also injected a deeply human dimension into the narrative. Throughout the book, Rasmussen not only celebrated the legacy of two influential minds but also invited readers to reflect on the timeless interplay of ideas and friendships that continue to shape the course of intellectual history. The Infidel and the Professor stands as a testament to the enduring relevance of Enlightenment ideals and the transformative power of intellectual camaraderie.
