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Which major figures of the Scottish Enlightenment were friends of Joseph Black?
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Joseph Black
Joseph Black, detail of an engraving by J. Rogers after a portrait by Sir Henry Raeburn
Joseph Black was a central figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, an era of significant intellectual growth in 18th-century Scotland. During this time, he maintained close friendships with several prominent thinkers of the movement, including:
- David Hume: The influential philosopher.
- Adam Smith: The renowned economist.
- James Hutton: The pioneering geologist.1
In addition to these intellectual peers, Black was a member of social groups such as the Poker and Oyster clubs, where he dined with male friends, and he frequently entertained notable visitors to Edinburgh, including the American diplomat Benjamin Franklin.2