Peter Jones and "Chronicles"

The Rockford Institute promoted a conference in Edinburgh, May 2005, with the topic, "Walter Scott Versus the Scottish Enlightenment." Special guest speaker is Donald Livingston. The full page ad in the Feb. 2005 issue of Chronicles isn't as informative as the full page ad in the Main Street Memorandum of the Rockford Institute, July 2005, Vol. 22 No. 3.

One thing in the ad in the Main Street Memorandum is Peter Jones' participation. His lecture is that the Scottish Enlightenment wasn't all bad.

However, the lead paragraph for the tapes of the event inform the reader:

"In many conservative circles, Adam Smith's work is treated like Scripture, on moral as well as on economic questions. Knowing, however, that degenerates like Voltaire looked to the minds of the Scottish Enlightenment for inspiration should give us pause, and one great Scotsman, Sir Walter Scott, had more than his share of doubts about both the French and Scottish Enlightenment."

Since the Enlightenment lead to the end of "involuntary subordination" and human rights, I can surely see why the Rockford Institute crowd would not like it. Perhaps Vermont will be spared the Enlightenment in the Second Vermont Republic.