What’s the problem, Mr. Smith? Shedding more light (than Heat) on Adam Smith’s view of man *
Abstract Why has the “Adam Smith Problem” recently been discussed in the literature? Although most historians of economic thought regard the problem solved, these discussions cast doubt on this apparent solution. This article suggests that the “Adam Smith Problem” may originate from the concept of t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Estadual de Campinas
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| Series: | Economia e Sociedade |
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-06182018000100001&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1818901110824370176 |
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| author | Emmanoel de Oliveira Boff |
| author_facet | Emmanoel de Oliveira Boff |
| author_sort | Emmanoel de Oliveira Boff |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Why has the “Adam Smith Problem” recently been discussed in the literature? Although most historians of economic thought regard the problem solved, these discussions cast doubt on this apparent solution. This article suggests that the “Adam Smith Problem” may originate from the concept of the human being developed by Smith in the “Theory of Moral Sentiments”: in this book, human beings can be understood as composed of an empirical and a (quasi) transcendental side, in the form of the impartial spectator. It is argued that it is the tension between these two parts which creates supposed inconsistencies between aspects of the “Theory of Moral Sentiments” and the “Wealth of Nations” like, for example, the role of sympathy and self-interest in each of these books. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:14:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3f73e23743d343098b759629149ecb79 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1982-3533 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:14:33Z |
| publisher | Universidade Estadual de Campinas |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Economia e Sociedade |
| spelling | doaj.art-3f73e23743d343098b759629149ecb792022-12-21T20:07:12ZengUniversidade Estadual de CampinasEconomia e Sociedade1982-353327112810.1590/1982-3533.2017v27n1art1S0104-06182018000100001What’s the problem, Mr. Smith? Shedding more light (than Heat) on Adam Smith’s view of man *Emmanoel de Oliveira BoffAbstract Why has the “Adam Smith Problem” recently been discussed in the literature? Although most historians of economic thought regard the problem solved, these discussions cast doubt on this apparent solution. This article suggests that the “Adam Smith Problem” may originate from the concept of the human being developed by Smith in the “Theory of Moral Sentiments”: in this book, human beings can be understood as composed of an empirical and a (quasi) transcendental side, in the form of the impartial spectator. It is argued that it is the tension between these two parts which creates supposed inconsistencies between aspects of the “Theory of Moral Sentiments” and the “Wealth of Nations” like, for example, the role of sympathy and self-interest in each of these books.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-06182018000100001&lng=en&tlng=enAdam Smith“Adam Smith Problem”Conceito de ser humanoJames OttesonVivienne Brown |
| spellingShingle | Emmanoel de Oliveira Boff What’s the problem, Mr. Smith? Shedding more light (than Heat) on Adam Smith’s view of man * Economia e Sociedade Adam Smith “Adam Smith Problem” Conceito de ser humano James Otteson Vivienne Brown |
| title | What’s the problem, Mr. Smith? Shedding more light (than Heat) on Adam Smith’s view of man * |
| title_full | What’s the problem, Mr. Smith? Shedding more light (than Heat) on Adam Smith’s view of man * |
| title_fullStr | What’s the problem, Mr. Smith? Shedding more light (than Heat) on Adam Smith’s view of man * |
| title_full_unstemmed | What’s the problem, Mr. Smith? Shedding more light (than Heat) on Adam Smith’s view of man * |
| title_short | What’s the problem, Mr. Smith? Shedding more light (than Heat) on Adam Smith’s view of man * |
| title_sort | what s the problem mr smith shedding more light than heat on adam smith s view of man |
| topic | Adam Smith “Adam Smith Problem” Conceito de ser humano James Otteson Vivienne Brown |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-06182018000100001&lng=en&tlng=en |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emmanoeldeoliveiraboff whatstheproblemmrsmithsheddingmorelightthanheatonadamsmithsviewofman |