Sir William Hamilton, 9th Baronet (1788–1856) was a Scottish philosopher and educator whose work in metaphysics and logic shaped 19th-century philosophical thought.
Born in Glasgow, he studied at Balliol College-Oxford, earning his degree in 1811. Initially trained in law, he later pursued philosophy, securing a professorship in civil history at the University of Edinburgh (1821.) In 1836, he became chair of logic and metaphysics, a position he held until his death.
His major works include Discussions on Philosophy and Literature, Education and University Reform (1852,) a collection of essays, and Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic (1858–60,) a compilation of his teachings. His doctrine of “quantification of the predicate” expanded logical propositions, advancing formal logic.
Hamilton introduced German philosophy to British audiences, cementing his legacy in logic and metaphysics. He sought to integrate Scottish common sense realism with Kantian philosophy, influencing thinkers like John Stuart Mill.
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Logic is the science of the laws of thought as thought, that is, of the necessary conditions to which thought, in itself considered, is subject.
—William Hamilton, 9th Baronet
Topics: Logic
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