The perception of value: Adam Smith on the moral role of social research
TL;DR: The authors argues that Adam Smith provided a clear and forceful rationale for the moral role of social research, especially history, and that moral understanding relies on emotional reactions to richly described cases, preferably where our own interests are not at stake.
Abstract: Scholars have sometimes argued that we should conceive of social research as a form of moral inquiry, at least in part, but none have made clear exactly how and why observational research can make a distinctive contribution to moral insight. Returning to an era before the modern distinction between social science and the humanities became entrenched, this article argues that Adam Smith provided a clear and forceful rationale for the moral role of social research, especially history. Smith believed that moral understanding relies on emotional reactions to richly described cases, preferably where our own interests are not at stake. These meditations on particular cases, in turn, provide the basis for moral generalizations that can inform future encounters with particular cases. This perspective led Smith (along with his friend David Hume) to the view that historical writing makes a more important contribution to moral understanding than abstract philosophy does. This article reconstructs Smith’s arguments a...
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01 Jan 2016
TL;DR: The authors reflecting Adam Smith's wide learning and varied interests, these essays shed considerable light on his place in the Scottish Enlightenment, including histories of astronomy, ancient logic and ancient physics; essays on the "imitative" arts and the affinity between music, dancing, and poetry; and a critical review of Samuel Johnson's famous Dictionary.
Abstract: Reflecting Adam Smith's wide learning and varied interests, these essays shed considerable light on his place in the Scottish Enlightenment. Included are histories of astronomy, ancient logic, and ancient physics; essays on the "imitative" arts and the affinity between music, dancing, and poetry; and a critical review of Samuel Johnson's famous Dictionary. which Smith originally published in the Edinburgh Review (1755-56).
419 citations
264 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the Science of Society in Adam Smith's Moral Theory and the Principle of Approbation are discussed. And the Impartial Spectator is discussed. But it is not discussed in detail.
Abstract: Part 1: The Science of Society 1. Philosophy and Science in Adam Smith 2. Social Science or Social Philosophy 3. Smith's Social Theory Part 2: Adam Smith's Moral Theory 4. Approval and Sympathy 5. The Principle of Approbation 6. The Impartial Spectator 7. Conscience 8. Virtues and Vices 9. Justice 10. Politics and Principles 11. The Theological Context
109 citations
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Book•
01 Jan 1970
TL;DR: Hume's early years and education is described in a treatise of human nature as discussed by the authors. But it is not a complete account of the early years of his life and education.
Abstract: PART 1: INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL How to Use this Book List of Abbreviations Editor's Introduction Hume's Early years and Education A Treatise of Human Nature Book 1: Of the Understanding Book 1 part 1: The Elements of the Mental World Book 1 Part 2: The Ideas of Space and Time Book 1 Part 3: Knowledge, Probability, Belief, and Causation Book 1 Part 4: Forms of Scepticism Book 2: Of the passions Book 2 Part 1: The Indirect Passions of Pride and Humility Book 2 Part 2: The Indirect Passions of Love and Hatred Book 2 part 3: The Direct Passions and the Will Book 3: Of Morals Book 3 Part 1: The Source of Moral Distinctions Book 3 Part 2: The Artificial Virtues Book 3 Part 3: Natural Virtues and Natural Abilities The Abstract and the Early Reception of the Treatise Supplementary Reading A Note on the Texts of this Edition PART 2: THE TEXT Advertisement Introduction Book 1: Of the Understanding Part 1: Of ideas, their origin, composition, connexion, abstraction, etc Sect 1: Of the origin of our ideas Sect 2: Division of the subject Sect 3: Of the ideas of the memory and imagination Sect 4: Of the connexion of association of ideas Sect 5 Of relations Sect 6 Of modes and substances Sect 7: Of abstract ideas Part 2: Of ideas of space and time Sect 1: Of the infinite divisibility of our ideas of space and time Sect 2: Of the infinite divisibility of space and time Sect 3 Of the other qualities of our ideas of space and time Sect 4 Objections answered Sect 5: The same subject continued Sect 6: Of the idea of existence and of external existence Part 3: of knowledge and probability Sect 1: Of knowledge Sect 2 Of probability and of the idea of cause and effect Sect 3: Why a cause is always necessary Sect 4: Of the component parts of our reasonings concerning cause and effect Sect 5: Of the impressions of the senses and memory Section 6: Of the inference from the impression to the idea Sect 7: Of the nature of the idea or belief Sect 8: Of the causes of belief Sect 9: Of the effects of other relations and other habits Sect 10 Of the influence of belief Sect 11: Of the probability of chances Sect 12: Of the probability of causes Sect 13: Of unphilosophical probability Sect 14: Of the idea of necessary connexion Sect 15: Rules by which to judge of causes and effects Sect 16: Of the reason of animals Part 4: Of the sceptical and other systems of philosophy Sect 1: Of scepticism with regard to reason Sect 2: Of scepticism with regard to the senses Sect 3 Of the ancient philosophy Sect 4 Of the modern philosophy Sect 5: Of the immateriality of the soul Sect 6: Of personal identity Sect 7: Conclusion of this book Book 2: Of the Passions Part 1: Of pride and humility Sect 1: Division of the subject Sect 2: Of pride and humility their objects and causes Sect 3: Whence these objects and causes are derived Sect 4: Of the relations of impressions and ideas Sect 5: Of the influence of these relations on pride and humility Sect 6: Limitations of this system Sect 7: Of vice and virtue Sect 8: Of beauty and deformity Sect 9: Of external advantages and disadvantages Sect 10: Of property and riches Sect 11: Of the love of fame Sect 12: Of the pride and humility of animals Part 2: Of love and hatred Sect 1: Of the objects and causes of love and hatred Sect 2: Experiments to confirm this system Sect 3: Difficulties solved Sect 4: Of the love of relations Sect 5: Of our esteem for the rich and powerful Sect 6: Of benevolence and anger Sect 7: Of compassion Sect 8: Of malice and envy Sect 9: Of the mixture of benevolence and anger with compassion and malice Sect 10 Of respect and contempt Sect 11: Of the amorous passion, or love betwixt the sexes Sect 12: Of the love and hatred of animals Part 3: Of the will and direct passions Sect 1: Of liberty and necessity Sect 2: The same subject continued Sect 3: Of the influencing motives of the will Sect 4: Of the causes of the violent passions Sect 5: Of the effects of custom Sect Of the influence of the imagination on passions Sect 7: Of contiguity and distance in space and time Sect 8: The same subject continued Sect 9: Of the direct passions Sect 10: Of curiosity, or the love of truth Book 3: Of Morals Advertisement Part 1: Of virtue and vice in general Sect 1: Moral distinctions not derived from reason Sect 2: Moral distinctions derived from a moral sense Part 2: Of justice and injustice Sect 1: Justice, whether a natural or artificial virtue? Sect 2: Of the origin of justice and property Sect 3: Of the rules, which determine property Sect 4: Of the transference of property by consent Sect 5: Of the obligation of promises Sect 6: Some farther reflections concerning justice and injustice Sect 7: Of the origin of government Sect 8: Of the source of allegiance Sect 9: Of the measures of allegiance Sect 10: Of the objects of allegiance Sect 11: Of the laws of nations Sect 12: Of chastity and modesty Part 3: Of the other virtues and vices Sect 1: Of the origin of the natural virtues and vices Sect 2: Of greatness of mind Sect 3 Of goodness and benevolence Sect 4: Of natural abilities Sect 5: Some farther reflections concerning the natural virtues Sect 6: Conclusion of this book Appendix An Abstract of A Treatise of Human Nature PART 3 SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL Editors' Annotations Annotations to the Treatise Annotations to the Abstract Glossary References Index
10,342 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1994
TL;DR: The authors argued that rational decisions are not the product of logic alone - they require the support of emotion and feeling, drawing on his experience with neurological patients affected with brain damage, Dr Damasio showed how absence of emotions and feelings can break down rationality.
Abstract: Descartes' Error offers the scientific basis for ending the division between mind and body. Antonio Damasio contends that rational decisions are not the product of logic alone - they require the support of emotion and feeling. Drawing on his experience with neurological patients affected with brain damage, Dr Damasio shows how absence of emotions and feelings can break down rationality. He also offers a new perspective on what emotions and feelings actually are: a direct view of our own body states; a link between the body and its survival-oriented regulation on the one hand, and consciousness on the other. Written as a conversation between the author and an imaginary listener, Descartes' Error leads us to conclude that human organisms are endowed from their very beginning with a spirited passion for making choices, which the social mind can then use to build rational behaviour.
9,648 citations
TL;DR: The emerging field of emotion regulation studies how individuals influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express them as mentioned in this paper, and characterizes emotion in terms of response tendencies.
Abstract: The emerging field of emotion regulation studies how individuals influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express them. This review takes an evolutionary perspective and characterizes emotion in terms of response tendencies. Emotion regulation is denned and distinguished from coping, mood regulation, defense, and affect regulation. In the increasingly specialized discipline of psychology, the field of emotion regulation cuts across traditional boundaries and provides common ground. According to a process model of emotion regulation, emotion may be regulated at five points in the emotion generative process: (a) selection of the situation, (b) modification of the situation, (c) deployment of attention, (d) change of cognitions, and (e) modulation of responses. The field of emotion regulation promises new insights into age-old questions about how people manage their emotions.
6,835 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that moral dilemmas vary systematically in the extent to which they engage emotional processing and that these variations in emotional engagement influence moral judgment.
Abstract: The long-standing rationalist tradition in moral psychology emphasizes the role of reason in moral judgment. A more recent trend places increased emphasis on emotion. Although both reason and emotion are likely to play important roles in moral judgment, relatively little is known about their neural correlates, the nature of their interaction, and the factors that modulate their respective behavioral influences in the context of moral judgment. In two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies using moral dilemmas as probes, we apply the methods of cognitive neuroscience to the study of moral judgment. We argue that moral dilemmas vary systematically in the extent to which they engage emotional processing and that these variations in emotional engagement influence moral judgment. These results may shed light on some puzzling patterns in moral judgment observed by contemporary philosophers.
3,618 citations
"The perception of value: Adam Smith..." refers background in this paper
...Such instincts may have served mankind well in prehistoric times dominated by close-knit groups, but they are outdated in the interdependent society we inhabit today (Greene et al., 2001; Singer, 2005)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, Flyvbjerg argues that the strength of social science is in its rich, reflexive analysis of values and power, essential to the social and economic development of any society.
Abstract: Making Social Science Matter presents an exciting new approach to social science, including theoretical argument, methodological guidelines, and examples of practical application. Why has social science failed in attempts to emulate natural science and produce normal theory? Bent Flyvbjerg argues that the strength of social science is in its rich, reflexive analysis of values and power, essential to the social and economic development of any society. Richly informed, powerfully argued, and clearly written, this book provides essential reading for all those in the social and behavioral sciences.
3,523 citations