The Life, Times and Legacy of David Hume Project
It started with questions and conversations driven by a desire to understand more. Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, this project seeks to better understand the Life, Times and Legacy of David Hume and what might have influenced him to write the infamous racist footnote.
Working with partners, we wove together learning opportunities inspired by curiosity around Hume and the footnote, using creativity to start conversations so we could learn from each other. Read more about the different stages of the project below.
Who is David Hume and does he still matter today?
Who is David Hume and does he still matter today? Find out how questions and curiosity led to a journey of discovery.
Timeline of David Hume’s Life and Times
To help answer our many questions we started by constructing a timeline of the life and times of David Hume. Here is a taster of what we found.
The Evidence: Hume Manuscripts
David Hume said “A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence” There was no better place to start then than thinking about his own written words.
What did Hume write in the Footnote?
Why are we thinking about the Life, Times and Legacy of David Hume?
Do people want to learn from the past?
Do people care about history? Find out what people think of Hume, the Enlightenment and learning from Scotland’s past.
Walking in David Hume’s footsteps
Retrace the footsteps behind the footnote as we go on a journey around the Edinburgh that Hume would have known.
Bruce Fummey: Does history have a colour?
Hear Scottish comedian Bruce Fummey discuss the Enlightenment in shades of grey. Find out how Adam Smith and square sausage connected.
The Footnote: Why Would You Say That?
Find out how we used the tool of forum theatre to inspire conversation. How Scotland’s past impact its present, and how we might best navigate challenging conversations around racism, class, power and history?
What do young people think?
It all began with conversation and curiosity. What do young people think? Find out and hear their artistic responses.
How does Scotland’s past shape its present?
How can we learn more from each other and our shared histories? Who decides what stories are remembered? Should everyone be a philosopher?
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to know more about this project? We love curiosity so have gathered some of the most frequently asked questions here.