Background
Buchanan was a cadet of the Clan Buchanan, and a native of Callander, where he was born in 1785.
Buchanan was a cadet of the Clan Buchanan, and a native of Callander, where he was born in 1785.
University of Glasgow.
He specially distinguished himself in the philosophy classes. In 1824 Buchanan was appointed assistant and successor to George Jardine in the chair of Logic and Rhetoric at Glasgow, becoming sole professor in 1827. As a philosopher he was influenced by his teacher James Mylne, and was wary of the philosophy of commonsense.
Following Jardine, and with the support of Mylne"s successor William Fleming, he resisted attempts to bring Glasgow"s courses more in line with those taught in England.
In 1864, Buchanan retired to Ardfillayne, Dunoon. He died on 2 March 1873.
In commemoration of Buchanan"s services, the Buchanan prizes were instituted in 1866, for students of the logic, moral philosophy, and English literature classes of the University of Glasgow. By his will he bequeathed £10,000 for the founding of Buchanan bursaries, for the arts classes of the university.