More Than Free Markets: Adam Smith and the Virtue of Responsibility

In recent years, scholars have increasingly emphasized the reliance of Adam Smith's moral theory on the virtues. This essay argues that Smith's account of the virtues differs from most virtue theories because his must be read through the construct of the impartial spectator. Smith's s...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Blosser, Joe (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Philosophy Documentation Center [2016]
In: Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics
Year: 2016, Volume: 36, Issue: 1, Pages: 163-179
IxTheo Classification:NBE Anthropology
NCA Ethics
TJ Modern history
VA Philosophy
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:In recent years, scholars have increasingly emphasized the reliance of Adam Smith's moral theory on the virtues. This essay argues that Smith's account of the virtues differs from most virtue theories because his must be read through the construct of the impartial spectator. Smith's spectator bears what Emmanuel Levinas might call a “trace” of the transcendent and employs what Amartya Sen calls an “open impartiality,” which is an impartiality not bound to any social group. As the essay explores how Smith deploys the virtues, it shows that his deeper concern is not with the virtues but with how people respond to the market, their neighbors, and the structure of the world. It shows how H. Richard Niebuhr's concept of responsibility can be a helpful lens for understanding Smith's moral and economic approaches.
ISSN:2326-2176
Contains:Enthalten in: Society of Christian Ethics, Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1353/sce.2016.0016