The Royal Society of Edinburgh Edinburgh International Festival The Enlightenment An 18th Century Revolution of Thought

15 August 20093 September 2009 In partnership with the Edinburgh International Festival, Nature and the Wellcome Trust, the RSE presented a series of twelve discussions and talks exploring various aspects of the Enlightenment, as part of the Edinburgh International Festival in 2009. Forty-four eminent experts took part in the series, either speaking or chairing the events; all twelve events were well attended by lively and participative audiences. The twelve topics covered were: Visual Art and the Enlightenment Scotland Exports the Enlightenment Islam and the Enlightenment The Ages of Optimism and Pessimism: Utopian and Dystopian Ideas Science and Tolerance Music and the Enlightenment: Classical and Vernacular Traditions On the Dark Side: Witchcraft and the Theatre Science and the Enlightenment The Face of the Enlightenment Moral Universals and Moral Progress: the New Science of Good and Evil The Enlightenment and the Academies Political Economy: Adam Smith and Others The following are summary reports of each of the events. The first four reports were prepared by a young person who worked with the RSE during the summer on a work experience project. Eade Hemingway is a pupil at Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge and obtained 10 grade As at GCSE level before coming to Edinburgh in August 2009. Whilst here, not only did she celebrate her 17th birthday but she also received the results of her AS levels in Maths, Economics, Philosophy and Art, for which she was awarded A, A, B and A respectively. She is now studying for her A levels, also in Maths, Economics, Philosophy and Art. When writing to offer her services to the Society she stated I would like to offer my insights as a young person, pre-university but post-compulsory education . For example, I note that there are a number of talks and debates in August; maybe I could attend some of these and offer some feedback from a young persons perspective. Eade attended the first four of the Festival events and prepared the summary reports, which were edited by an experienced freelance report writer, Peter Barr, whom the RSE employs on a regular basis. Peter also prepared the reports on the remaining eight events. Introduced by Lord Wilson of Tillyorn KT GCMG, President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, His Grace The 10th Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry spoke at the first event and made an introduction to the series. A summary of his introduction is also available.

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