Terence Wilmot Hutchison
Encyclopedia
Terence Wilmot Hutchison FBA
(August 13, 1912 – October 6, 2007) was a world famous economist. Born in Bournemouth, England, he attended Peterhouse, Cambridge
in 1931 to study the classics but switched to economics. He took his bachelor of arts degree, with first class honours, in 1934. Subsequently, he spent a year at the London School of Economics
(LSE), then became a lecturer in economics in Bonn, Germany in 1935, due to an interest in Ludwig Wittgenstein
. He spent approximately three years in Bonn, learning the German language while studying German studies in economics.
He married the German national Loretta Hack. The couple moved to Baghdad
, where he took a position at a teacher training college. Eventually, they moved to Bombay. During World War II, he joined the British military, serving as an intelligence officer on the Northwest Frontier, in Egypt, and then in Delhi
.
In 1946, he began his British university career with a position at the University of Hull
. After a year at Hull, he moved to the LSE, where he became interested in the history of economics. The University of Birmingham
named him Mitsui Professor of Economics at in 1956, holding that position he held until he retired in 1978. He continued to teach the history of economics for another two years.
After retiring, Hutchison published the book Before Adam Smith in 1985, the first book in English to systematically analyze 18th Century economic writing before the publication of Adam Smith
's seminal work The Wealth of Nations
(1776).
His wife Loretta died in 1981. In 1983, he married Christine Donaldson, who died in 2003. He had three children.
Hutcheson's much-cited 1938 treatise
The Significance and Basic Postulates of Economic Theory (macmillan) established his credentials as an economic methodologist
.
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
(August 13, 1912 – October 6, 2007) was a world famous economist. Born in Bournemouth, England, he attended Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
in 1931 to study the classics but switched to economics. He took his bachelor of arts degree, with first class honours, in 1934. Subsequently, he spent a year at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(LSE), then became a lecturer in economics in Bonn, Germany in 1935, due to an interest in Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein was an Austrian philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language. He was professor in philosophy at the University of Cambridge from 1939 until 1947...
. He spent approximately three years in Bonn, learning the German language while studying German studies in economics.
He married the German national Loretta Hack. The couple moved to Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, where he took a position at a teacher training college. Eventually, they moved to Bombay. During World War II, he joined the British military, serving as an intelligence officer on the Northwest Frontier, in Egypt, and then in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
In 1946, he began his British university career with a position at the University of Hull
University of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
. After a year at Hull, he moved to the LSE, where he became interested in the history of economics. The University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
named him Mitsui Professor of Economics at in 1956, holding that position he held until he retired in 1978. He continued to teach the history of economics for another two years.
After retiring, Hutchison published the book Before Adam Smith in 1985, the first book in English to systematically analyze 18th Century economic writing before the publication of Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
's seminal work The Wealth of Nations
The Wealth of Nations
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, generally referred to by its shortened title The Wealth of Nations, is the magnum opus of the Scottish economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith...
(1776).
His wife Loretta died in 1981. In 1983, he married Christine Donaldson, who died in 2003. He had three children.
Hutcheson's much-cited 1938 treatise
Treatise
A treatise is a formal and systematic written discourse on some subject, generally longer and treating it in greater depth than an essay, and more concerned with investigating or exposing the principles of the subject.-Noteworthy treatises:...
The Significance and Basic Postulates of Economic Theory (macmillan) established his credentials as an economic methodologist
Economic methodology
Economic methodology is the study of methods, especially the scientific method, in relation to economics, including principles underlying economic reasoning...
.
Exernal links
- Terence W. Hutchison, 1912-: biopic and major published works from the New School