Topic Research - James Beattie



Originally, before I chose which reading I would research in the Project Brainstorm assignment, I optioned for "What does this work reflect about its historical, social, political and/or economic context? You may focus on race, class, power, cultural values and beliefs, historical events, the author’s biography, gender, psychology, etc. "
Yet, as I started to review the readings I was drawn to James Beattie, From An Essay on Truth for the research project. It was interesting to learn that even though, today, this piece of literature reads as a strong consensus against the irrational philosophy of David Hume that James Beattie refused to publish a lot of his writing in fear of public criticism. In addition, it was interesting to learn his work could have played a major role in the abolitionist movement. Some will argue that his work indirectly played a huge role during that time, but others would strongly disagree, even asserting that his work which was published a decade later, came to late. This led me to reconsider my topic choice to :  " Choose a reading selection. Then choose one of the following questions, and write an argument in response to it: How does the work reflect the period in which it was written? What does the work reveal about the cultural behavior contemporary to it? How are class differences presented in the work? Are characters aware or unaware of the economic and social forces that affect their lives? "
It appears that Beattie was clearly aware of the social forces that affected his life, therefore making him reluctant o be a open abolitionist in the beginning of the movement when he was given the opportunity. 
I am not quite sure which direction I will hone in on, being that there are several arguments I could pursue, such as the influence cultural values and beliefs have on a society or arguing whether James Beattie, indeed impacted the abolitionist or not. Also should we view this piece of literature as such?



www.academia.edu/890328/An_Abolitionist_too_late_James_Beattie_and_the_Scottish_Enlightenments_lost_chance_to_influence_the_Slave_Trade_debate

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