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Adam Smith on Sensory Perception: A Sympathetic Account

The intro to  Brian Glenney’s chapter: The aim of this chapter is to propose an account of sensory perception from the known writings of Adam Smith, chiefly his juvenile work, “On the External Senses.” This account asserts that when we perceive an object we simulate its painful or pleasurable effects on our body—we imaginatively place…

Indulgent Sympathy and the Impartial Spectator

The into to Joshua Rust’s chapter: Cognitive neuroscience is in the midst of what has been called an “affective revolution,” which places empathy at the center of a core set of moral competencies. While empathy has not been without its critics (Bloom, 2013; Prinz, 2011), both the radicals and the reactionaries routinely cite Adam Smith’s…

Adam Smith: 18th Century Polymath

Here is the intro to Roger Frantz’ chapter. ~~~~~~~ Adam Smith (1723-1790) was a polymath with several of his key concepts and theories either having modern counterparts and/or “enjoying” empirical support. Smith wrote about the origin and proper use of language, grammar, the history of astronomy and ancient physics, moral philosophy, music, dance, and poetry,…

Adam Smith as a Scottish Philosopher

Below is the intro to Gordon Graham’s chapter. Was Adam Smith a Scottish philosopher? The question seems an odd one. He was a philosopher and he was Scottish. What more could we need to know, in order to arrive at the simple answer ‘yes.’ And in any case, why does it matter? On reflection, however, neither…

Propriety and Prosperity: New Studies on the Philosophy of Adam Smith

Finally available. Adam SmithAustrian SchoolCognitioncomplexityconsciousnessdistributed cognitiondistributed knowledgeemergent orderEpistemologyethicsimpartial spectatorinvisible handmirror neuronsphilosophical psychologyPhilosophy of mindpolitical economyPolitical philosophyPropriety and Prosperity: New Studies on the Philosophy of Adam Smithself-interestsituated cognitionsocial epistemologySpontaneous ordersympathy and benevolenceTheory of Moral SentimentsWealth of Nations