CARMICHAEL

carmichael, gershom (c. 1672-1729), scottish philosopher, was born probably in london, the son of a presbyterian minister who had been banished by the scottish privy council for his religious opinions. he graduated at edinburgh university in 1691, and became a regent at st andrews. in 1694 he was elected a master in the university of glasgow--an office that was converted into the professorship of moral philosophy in 1727, when the system of masters was abolished at glasgow. sir william hamilton regarded him as "the real founder of the scottish school of philosophy." he wrote _bremuscula introductio ad logicam_, a treatise on logic and the psychology of the intellectual powers; _synopsis theologiae naturalis_; and an edition of pufendorf, _de officio hominis et civis_, with notes and supplements of high value. his son frederick was the author of _sermons on several important subjects_ and _sermons on christian zeal_, both published in 1753.