Beware of Social Engineers

Here's a letter to the New York Times:

David Brooks correctly argues that the Scottish Enlightenment, more so than the French Enlightenment, provides a deep understanding of the nature of society ("Two Theories of Change," May 25).  He's correct also to identify David Hume and Adam Smith as being among the greatest leaders of the Scottish Enlightenment.  But the most descriptive phrase that captures the wisdom of these 18th-century Scots comes from a lesser known, but nevertheless important...