No description available.

Under what is arguably the single most dominant approach in modern economic theory, to act rationally is to act in accordance with one’s self-interest, and it is only “rationality as self-interest” that explains behavior in the market sphere. Many economists attribute this idea to Adam Smith, often referred to as the “father of economics.” Yet, in his The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith expands the notion of rationality to reasonableness, or the standards one has reason to value and act on, and includes in this concept both self-interested virtues, such as prudence, and other regarding virtues, such as beneficence. Other academics, such as Elizabeth Anderson, have followed Smith’s lead in expanding the notion of rationality to include values outside of self-interest, but have failed to integrate fully Smith’s moral framework as they accept the problematic tenet of reasonableness as self interest in the market sphere. In this thesis, I propose and explore in four chapters the Smith-inspired interpenetrating spheres of association model as a framework for decision-making that is superior both to the economist’s rationality as self-interest model and to Anderson’s sphere differentiation model. Importantly, the model I propose transcends these former models by concurrently assuaging collective action problems, revealing the immorality of women’s double bind situations in the workplace, and sustaining efficient market transactions.

<p>Dissertation in political science, D-level by Niklas Andersson, Spring Semester 2010. Tutor: Malin Stegmann McCallion</p><p>“Societies in Crisis – When Washington Take Over”</p><p>An economic meltdown wreaks havoc on the world and has plunged the Western world into a spiral of economic stimulus in order to keep their way of life intact. At the same time the same institutions that support these countries have had another agenda for more unfortunate and less influential countries where nothing has been free and everything been to a price of self-sacrifice in order to get the consent of the IMF and the World Bank. Everything according to the points stated in the so called Washington Consensus.</p><p>The purpose of this dissertation is to research what impact the Washington Consensus has on the state in terms of power over the market and sovereignty. This shall be done by examining the points of the Consensus and then delve into the IMF and World Bank’s own program in four countries, Argentina, Russia, Kenya and the Republic of Korea. The findings shall then be compared to the Andersson Contract, a social contract theory summary showcasing the ideal liberal state, to determine if the Consensus gives enough room for the state to act against the market. This shall also be backed up with theories on economics from Adam Smith and Karl Polanyi in order to strengthen the comparison on the economic issues.</p><p>The research question thus for the dissertation are:</p><p>Which institutions and features does the Washington Consensus highlight as necessary for a state? Is the state they proposes to weak to uphold society according to the social contracts?</p><p>According to the research there are parts of the Washington Consensus that fits the social contract and should therefore in theory be able to maintain a level of social dignity and be able to take part in the positive effects of the market. Other parts on the other hand show that some crucial institutions lack certain strength in order to be able to keep the free market in check, but they still exist. Therefore the answer to the question is that it’s ambiguous as all the necessary institutions exist, but some of them need to be strengthened in order to make sure the market remains free as well as the countries should be able to choose their own way to economic welfare.<strong> </strong></p> / <p>Statsvetenskaplig uppsats, D-nivå av Niklas Andersson, Vårterminen 2010, Handledare Malin Stegmann McCallion</p><p>"Samhällen i Kris - När Washington Tar Över"</p><p>En ekonomisk härdsmälta skapar kaos runt om i världen och har kastat ner västvärlden i en spiral av ekonomiska stimulanser för att hålla deras livsstil flytande. Santidigt som detta sker har samma institutioner vilka gett första hjälpen till dessa länder har de haft en annan agenda för mer otursamma och mindre inflytelserika länder där ingenting har varit gratis och allt varit till priset av självuppoffring för att få IMF och Världsbankens samtycke. Allt utifrån punkterna fastlagda av Washington-konsensusen.</p><p>Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka vilken inverkan Washington-konsensusen har på staten i betydelsen makt över marknaden och suveränitet. Detta skall genomföras genom att undersöka punkterna i konsensusen och sen dyka ner i IMF och Världsbanknens egna program i fyra länder, Argentina, Ryssland, Kenya och Sydkorea. Det jag finner ska sedan jämföras med Andeersson-kontraktet, en kontraktsteori sammanfattning av den ideala liberala staten, för att utröna om konsensusen ger tillräckligt utrymmer för staten att agera mot marknaden. Detta ska också stödjas med teorier om ekonomi av Adam Smith och Karl Polanyi för att styrka jämförelsen på de ekonomiska delarna.</p><p>Frågeställningarna för uppsatsen är då följande:</p><p>Vilka institutioner och funktioner uppmärksammar Washongton-konsensusen som nödvändiga för staten? Är staten de framhäver för svag för att upprätthålla samhället enligt kontraktteorierna?</p><p>Enligt forskningen är det ett par delar av Washington-konsensusen som passar in i kontraktsteorin och borde därför i teorin möjliggöra en viss nivå av social värdighet och hantering av effekterna utav marknaden. Andra delar däremot visar att några viktiga institutioner saknar tillräckligt med styrka för att fullt ut kunna hålla marknaden i schack, men de existerar fortfarande. Därför är svaret till frågorna att det är tvetydigt eftersom alla g´rundelement finns där, men några av dem behöver förstärkas för att försäkra att marknaderna förblir fria samtidigt som länderna själva väljer deras  väg till ekonomiskt välstånd.</p>

Cette thèse interroge l’unité de l’économie politique classique en montrant qu’à partir d'une conception de l’autonomie de l’économie, plusieurs articulations de la théorie des prix et d’une «science du législateur» sont possibles. Adam Smith se démarque de François Quesnay et David Ricardo sur ce point. Alors que ces auteurs sont souvent lus à travers le seul prisme de la théorie des prix et donc inclus dans un même projet, nous verrons notamment que Dugald Stewart joua un rôle de premier plan dans le développement d’une lignée qui fût bâtie en excluant Smith. A l’aune des conceptions de l’autonomie de chacun, nous montrons dans une première partie que les concepts de la théorie des prix, notamment la règle de répartition et le processus de circulation, traduisent l’encastrement de l’économie dans une totalité sociale. Or, si Quesnay, Stewart et Ricardo ont chacun pu contribuer à la théorie classique, les analyses de Smith ne respectent pas ses critères de cohérence logique et semblent mener dans l’impasse. Il s’agit en réalité de la marque d’un projet alternatif, mis à jour dans la seconde partie. Quesnay, Stewart et Ricardo présupposent que l’économie est sujette à un ordre qu’il convient de réaliser par la concurrence, mais se distinguent quant aux institutions nécessaires pour ce faire. En revanche, Smith suppose que le législateur n’est pas contraint par des mécanismes économiques. En effet, l’économie n'est pour lui que la modalité d'un lien social général, nécessitant un arbitrage entre rapports sociaux agonistiques. / This thesis aims at questioning the homogeneity of classical political economy by showing that alternative links between price theory and the science of a legislator may be endorsed, depending on what conception of the autonomy of the economic domain is retained. In this respect, Adam Smith departs from François Quesnay and David Ricardo. While these authors are often compared on the sole ground of price theory, and thereby subsumed under a common framework, Dugald Stewart played a prominent role in the development of a trend in the history of ideas which actually excluded Smith from the start. In the light of the author’ understanding of the autonomy of the economy, the first part of this thesis shows that key concepts of classical price theory, among which the rule of distribtuion orthe circulation of commodities, reflect the fact that the economy is embedded in society considered as a whole. Yet, while Quesnay, Stewart and Ricardo did contribute to classical theory in this respect, Smith's analyses do not fit its logical requirements and seem to represent a deadlock.These are however the sign of an alternative project, dealt within the second part of the thesis. Quesnay, Stewart and Ricardo presuppose that the economy is subject to an overall order which ought to be realised thanks to market competition, although they disagree as to what formof institution is best suited to do so. On the contrary, Smith presupposes that the legislator is not impeded by any economic mechanism, since the economy are only a dimension of social interactions, whereby conflicting interests need to be counterbalanced.

Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul / The present dissertation - through bibliographical research grounded mainly in the reading of the Theory of Moral Sentiments and of the Wealth of Nations - investigates the connection between Smith's moral philosophy and his approach regarding to the human principles that govern individual pursuit for improving own life condition. For achieve this goal are analyzed some of the Philosophical bases of the author (Stoics, Hutcheson, Hume) and studied the key concepts present in his two books in order to defend the viewpoint of that the Wealth of Nations is a continuity of the Theory of Moral Sentiments. From among the main lessons learned, from the study of the work of Adam Smith, are of which he cultivated, in his personal life, the qualities that in the TMS he considered defining of an excellent character: sobriety, temperance, fairness and magnanimity; which was through of the concepts of sympathy and the impartial spectator, created and developed in the TMS, that Smith created the concept of the prudent man, to which characterizes the majority of people who live in society; that the prudent man of Adam Smith is much different than homo economicus neoclassic; and, mainly, that the Smithian view of self-love is impregnated of moral connotations, once which goes far beyond mere self-interest for material wealth. / A presente dissertação - por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica fundamentada principalmente na leitura da Teoria dos Sentimentos Morais e na Riqueza das Nações - investiga a conexão entre a filosofia moral de Smith e a sua abordagem em relação aos princípios humanos que norteiam a busca individual por melhorar a própria condição de vida. Para alcançar este objetivo são analisadas algumas das bases Filosóficas do autor (estoicos, Hutcheson, Hume) e estudados os conceitos chaves presentes em seus dois livros de modo a defender o ponto de vista de que a Riqueza das Nações é uma continuidade da Teoria dos Sentimentos Morais. Dentre as principais lições aprendidas, a partir do estudo da obra de Adam Smith, está a de que ele cultivou, em sua vida pessoal, as qualidades que na TSM ele considerava definidoras de um caráter excelente: sobriedade, temperança, justeza e magnanimidade; que foi através dos conceitos de simpatia e espectador imparcial, criados e desenvolvidos na TSM, que Smith criou o conceito do homem prudente, o qual caracteriza a maioria das pessoas que vivem em sociedade; que o homem prudente de Adam Smith é muito diferente do homo economicus neoclássico; e, principalmente, que a visão smithiana de selflove está impregnada de conotações morais, uma vez que vai muito além do mero auto interesse por riquezas materiais.

Analytic ethics often neglects the exploration and appreciation of morality as it is actually practised on a day-to-day basis. But by looking at how, in a practical sense, we are able to interact with others in a morally appropriate way we can construct a compelling picture of what some of our most pervasive obligations are. This thesis takes such an approach through the concept of understanding – understanding essentially taken here to involve those processes involved in detecting and correctly responding to beings typically possessing inherent moral significance. In the first two chapters ‘understanding' and the understanding approach are themselves explicated, and placed in the context of several other related approaches in the English-speaking tradition – Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, Nel Noddings' ethics of care and Richard Hare's preference utilitarianism. This approach is then used to provide us with an alternative idea about what our moral reasoning suggests to be of fundamental ethical significance, and of what kinds of activity morality recommends to us. The activity explored in most detail here is that of engaging with fiction – or more broadly, fictive imaginings. While understanding shows us that fictional characters and events themselves cannot have an inherent moral valence or significance, it also shows us when and how it is possible and appropriate to ethically assess fictive engagement, be it as creator or consumer. This is seen after exploring how and in what ways our moral understanding can be appropriately applied to and exercised by fictions at all, and why fiction should be of particular interest to the understanding agent, looking at the work of Martha Nussbaum, Jenefer Robinson, Peter Lamarque and others on aesthetic cognitivism. Ultimately this leads us to discern a minimal ethical constraint on our interpretation of fiction and art in general, further proving understanding's usefulness.

[pt] Esta dissertação discute, a partir de uma leitura dos trabalhos de Adam Smith em história intelectual e ética, a visão deste filósofo escocês do século XVIII sobre a natureza da atividade humana. Sugere-se que esta filosofia seja profundamente marcada por uma consciência aguda da imperfeição e finitude humanas. Intenta-se, porém, mostrar que o pensamento de Smith é também um esforço de reconciliação com esta imperfeição essencial. Toda a reflexão smithiana está voltada para a tarefa de demonstrar de que maneira é possível ao homem, a despeito de suas limitações, manter uma existência regular e harmoniosa e avançar do ponto de vista cognitivo, moral e material. De acordo com a visão de Smith, o espírito humano é mobilizado por um impulso espontâneo e desinteressado para a realização de ordem, harmonia e beleza nas diferentes esferas de sua atividade. No entanto, embora o espírito tenda naturalmente à regularidade, uma situação absolutamente simétrica nunca se realiza, em função da própria imperfeição do Homem. E é certo que assim seja, pois uma tal situação não seria nem mesmo suportável por criaturas humanas. O primeiro capítulo tem seu foco analítico em um texto de juventude de Smith, The History of Astronomy, pondo-o em diálogo com o pensamento de David Hume. Discute-se de que maneira Smith, assumindo a teoria da imaginação de Hume, se insere também no projeto humeano de uma ciência da natureza humana. O segundo capítulo envolve uma discussão da obra de Smith em ética, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, e de seu conceito central, a simpatia. / [en] This dissertation deals with Adam Smith`s view on the nature of human activity, proposing an interpretation of this eighteenth century Scottish philosopher`s works on intellectual history and ethics. It is suggested that his philosophy is marked by a keen awareness of human imperfection and finitude. It demonstrates that Adam Smith`s thought is also, however, an effort of reconciliation with this essential imperfection. Smith`s reflection is directed to the task of showing how it would be possible for mankind, notwithstanding its limitations, to maintain a regular and harmonious existence and to advance from a cognitive, moral and material point of view. According to Adam Smith`s view, the human spirit is moved by a spontaneous and disinterested impulse to the realization of order, harmony and beauty in the different spheres of its activity. Nonetheless, although the spirit is naturally order- seeking, an absolutely symmetrical situation is never actualized because of the very imperfection of mankind. Such a situation wouldn`t even be bearable to human creatures. The first chapter has its analytical focus on an early text from Adam Smith`s called The History of Astronomy, and puts it into dialogue with the thought of David Hume. The subject here is how Smith, adopting Hume`s theory of imagination, partakes in the Humean project of a science of human nature. The second chapter discusses Adam Smith`s work on ethics, The Theory of the Moral Sentiments, and its central concept, sympathy.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Philosophy, Dec. 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 260-280) Also available on the Internet.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T20:08:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 1998-09-04T00:00:00Z / Este trabalho tem um duplo objetivo: a) o de situar a atual discussão da ética aplicada aos negócios; e, b) o de analisar as dificuldades de um consenso na área, apesar da existência de uma vasta literatura sobre o tema. Partimos do pressuposto básico que os valores éticos compartilhados pela sociedade em geral não são necessariamente os mesmos adotados no mundo dos negócios, os quais são justificados pelos fundamentos éticos e morais da Economia e que são aceitos no campo da Administração. Realizamos um trabalho de natureza teórico-analítico-exploratório.

Hayek's interpretation of Smith's invisible hand as a metaphor for the theory of spontaneous order still holds as the only authentic interpretation of that famous phrase, despite all criticism. Although not many authors noticed it, Hegel was a theorist of spontaneous order, namely also a theorist of the spontaneous order of market economy. There is evidence that Hegel followed here Adam Smith's teachings about the invisible hand. The invisible hand is present in Hegel's writings as an element, from what sprang his theory of spirit. That means that his theory of spirit is a general theory of spontaneous order, although written in metaphysical manner. However, being a theorist of spontaneous order didn't prevent him from being an interventionist. He was led to interventionism by his synoptic fallacy of mind. He never tried to apply this fallacy on the studies of the market economy. Marxists did that. Some of recent scholars (Sciabarra, Johnson, and Cristi) identified Hegel's theory of spontaneous order, but their interpretation wasn't perfectly in accordance with Hegel's texts. How these authors denied Popper's and Hayek's incorrect opinion that Hegel was a totalitarian, thus it is needed to enrich studies of mentioned current scholars. Here it is taken into account only what Hegel wrote, not later authors about him. This thesis is also an attempt to evaluate the history of economic thought from the standpoint of Smith's and Hegel's methodology.