June 16

Born in 1723 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, Adam Smith studied moral philosophy at the University of Glasgow and Oxford. In 1759, he published his first major work, 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments', exploring ethics and human behavior. His 1776 magnum opus, 'An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations', laid the foundations of modern economics. He introduced key concepts such as the division of labor and the invisible hand guiding self-interest to public benefit. As a professor of moral philosophy at Glasgow, he influenced generations of students and thinkers. His advocacy for free trade and limited government shaped economic policy and the Industrial Revolution. He died in 1790, leaving a lasting legacy in the fields of economics and philosophy.

Ernst Laas was born in 1837 and studied philosophy in Berlin. Influenced by Ludwig Feuerbach, he developed a historical and psychological perspective on moral values. Laas held academic roles in Switzerland and France, where he lectured on ethics, pedagogy, and the philosophy of religion. He authored works examining the development of moral consciousness and the role of education in character formation. His teachings shaped the study of ethics in the late 19th century before his death in 1885.