Mt.Hamilton Society - Debate on Adam Smith: Philosopher or Economist?

Adam Smith is remembered as the father of modern economics — but was he, first and foremost, an economist at all? Or was he fundamentally a moral philosopher whose economic insights emerged from a broader vision of human flourishing, virtue, and social order?

Join Mercatus scholars Rebecca Lowe and Eileen Norcross for a spirited debate exploring the legacy of one of classical liberalism’s most influential thinkers. Drawing from Smith’s Wealth of Nations and Theory of Moral Sentiments, the discussion will examine whether Smith belongs primarily to the world of economics or philosophy — and why that distinction still matters today.

Expect sharp arguments, lively exchange, and a deeper appreciation for the intellectual foundations of a free society.

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Eileen Norcross is the Vice President of Research and a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Her research focuses on questions of public finance, how economic institutions support or hamper economic resiliency and civil society, and the relationship between culture and institutions.

Dr Rebecca Lowe is Philosophy Senior Research Fellow and Director of Emerging Scholars at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. A political philosopher, her primary research interests include rights, freedom, and equality. She is currently working on two books, Freedom in Utopia and Speaking Freely. She publishes a Substack newsletter, the ends don’t justify the means, and hosts a podcast, Working Definition. She also writes regularly about space.

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is where top classical liberal scholars solve real-world challenges. Grounded in the tradition of market-oriented thinking and classical liberal ideas, we equip high-agency talent to apply bold ideas that shape institutions, inform policy, and help people flourish.

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Please join the Mont Hamilton Society in this 17th year since our founding, to hear and interact with Eileen Norcross and Rebecca Lowe on this fascinating and timely topic.

This meeting, including lunch, will be in-person for no more than 24 individuals only. We think you will enjoy the intellectual stimulation, the edification, the camaraderie, and meeting new people.

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From a satisfied Mont Hamilton Society member:

"Thanks as always to you for the fun and engaging lunch discussions you put together regularly - I always enjoy them and the dose of intellectual sanity they provide!" Luke Perkocha, MD, MBA

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About the Mont Hamilton Society - In 1947 Friedrich Hayek, an economist and social philosopher who later won the Nobel Prize, organized a meeting at Mt. Pelerin, a resort in Switzerland. Hayek convened a modest sized group of (39) economists, historians, philosophers and journalists for the purpose of supporting research and discussion on the role of markets vs. government. The Mont Pelerin Society is now a large and prestigious international organization.

In 2009, a group of friends began to meet in San Jose for the purposes of improving their understanding of economic theory, applying it to current events and sharing their understanding with others as well as promoting a joyous sense of camaraderie. In recognition of the example set by the Mont Pelerin Society, they decided to name their group the Mont Hamilton Society. Members understand the realities of the business world, share an interest in economic thinking, and value civil discourse from a variety of perspectives. Faculty and students from the Department of Economics at San Jose State University are frequent guests at Society meetings. In June 2017 the Mont Hamilton Society became the San Jose affiliate chapter of the Bastiat Society, an AIER.org project, hence our name from then till late last year was: Mont Hamilton/Bastiat Society. However AIER decided late in 2024 to discontinue the Bastiat Society program, so we are reverting to our original name: The Mont Hamilton Society and continuing on our own.

There are no membership fees or organizational meetings at this time, but all interested are encouraged to join and participate.

If you would like to be on our invitations list, or know someone else who might like to receive notice of our 7 - 10 luncheon or other events per year, or if you have any questions, please send an email to:

[email protected]

You or your suggested contact(s) will receive an announcement/invitation and a reminder or two for each event as they are scheduled, or a prompt answer to your question/s.

These events are discussions, not standard lectures. To facilitate this, the in-person gatherings before Covid Lockdowns were kept "small," typically 12 - 24 individuals only. Some presentations are video recorded, depending on demand and available resources. Constructive feedback on our events and interest in recordings is welcome, since we are continuing to evolve our meeting formats.

Thank you for your interest.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Scott's Seafood (90 min. free parking: 93 East San Carlos, NE corner at 2nd), 200 South 1st Street, San Jose, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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