Calton Hill and Hume's Tomb

Submitted by ffr on Wed, 31 Dec '08 9.10pm

Edinburgh pays little attention to the Tomb of David Hume, 'the greatest philospoher to write in the English language'

Is it not time that we took greater pride in his work?

Edinburgh was after all the crucible of the Enlightenment and Hume was its most important figure.

This should be a point of pilgrimage for all visitors to UK - far more important than Ann Hathaway's cottage etc. 

Hume initiated the study of human psychology, he inspired Adam Smith and monetarist economics and his influence can be traced clearly to almost all contemporary thinking. His scepticism demonstrated the limits to human knowledge, especially that founded on observation - including most importantly science and he warned of the dangers of superstitions and enthusiasms which beset the world today.

Time to have another look at Hume's genius and so remind strangers that Scots are not the dolts portrayed by the kilts and pipes brigade. 

I agree - there's many different faces to Scotland apart from the shortbread tin image of the tourism brochures - and we probably should be celebrating that more. Graveyards are tough sells though. Hume aint Jim Morrison (at least, not in most people's minds).

To be fair, Edinburgh has two very prominent statutes to leading figures of the Enlightenment on the Royal Mile: David Hume statue and the new Adam Smith statue.

Whether people recognise them while perusing the wee Jimmy hats or dropping coinage for the busking bagpipers though is another question.