In which academic discipline did Adam Smith make significant contributions during the Enlightenment?

Adam Smith, a key figure of the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century, is best known for his groundbreaking work in economics. Think of him as one of the founding fathers of the field! While the Enlightenment was a period of immense intellectual ferment across many disciplines, Smith's lasting impact was on how we understand wealth, trade, and markets. His most famous book, *The Wealth of Nations*, published in 1776, laid out principles like the division of labor, free markets, and the "invisible hand" – the idea that individual self-interest can unintentionally benefit society as a whole. So, while the Enlightenment touched on politics and philosophy, and the Industrial Revolution was a later period of technological advancement, Smith's specific and enduring contribution was really in shaping the field of economics. He provided a framework for understanding how economies work, influencing economic policy for centuries to come.