English philosopher Roger Scruton was knighted in 2016 for his contributions to philosophy, teaching, and public education. A conservative thinker, he drew on Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments (herein TMS) and The Wealth of Nations (herein WN) in his reflections on human nature, sentiments and reason, justice, and markets. Like Smith, Scruton engaged with a wide range of subjects, including aesthetics and music, social and moral philosophy, and political and economic institutions. Both thinkers shared a belief in the gradual evolution of institutions and customs, and in the importance of moral sentiments and cultural norms in shaping human behavior. They were skeptical of overly rationalistic approaches to organizing society—Smith criticized centralized economic planning, while Scruton opposed any attempt to redesign society based on abstract principles that disregarded tradition.

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