"James Frederick Ferrier" by Elizabeth Sanderson Haldane offers a comprehensive exploration of philosophy within the context of the Scottish Enlightenment. Focusing on Ferrier's contributions, Haldane delves deep into metaphysics, idealism, and epistemology, shedding light on his profound insights into the mind-body problem and ethical considerations. As a prominent figure in Scottish philosophy and a scholar at the University of St Andrews, Ferrier's work embodies the essence of transcendentalism and rationalism. Haldane paints a vivid portrait of Ferrier as an intellectual luminary whose ideas on theism and rationalism continue to shape philosophical discourse. Through meticulous research and analysis, she highlights Ferrier's enduring influence on subsequent generations of philosophers. This biography serves as a testament to Ferrier's intellectual legacy and his lasting impact on the field of philosophy. By contextualizing his ideas within the broader landscape of the Scottish Enlightenment, Haldane offers readers a profound understanding of Ferrier's contributions and his role as a pioneering thinker in the realm of metaphysics and epistemology.
Elizabeth Sanderson Haldane was a Scottish novelist, biographer, philosopher, suffragette, nursing administrator, and social worker. She was the sister of Richard Burdon Haldane, 1st Viscount Haldane, and John Scott Haldane, and became Scotland's first female Justice of the Peace in 1920. In 1918, she was inducted into the Order of the Companions of Honor. Elizabeth Haldane was born on May 27, 1862 at 17 Charlotte Square in Edinburgh. Her father was Robert Haldane of Cloan House, near Auchterarder in Perthshire, and her mother was Mary Elizabeth Sanderson. She was taught by a number of tutors and visiting schoolmasters. Octavia Hill encouraged Haldane to adapt the property management system that Hill had built in London to the situation in Edinburgh, and in 1884, at the age of 21, she was appointed convener of the Edinburgh Social Union's Housing Committee. She pursued nursing studies in the 1880s and later became active in the establishment of the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) beginning in 1908. She became manager of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in 1901. Her autobiography, From One Century to Another, spans the years 1862 to 1914.
