The Theory of Moral Sentiments

by SMITH, ADAM

• ISBN13: 9781573928007
• ISBN10: 1573928003
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2000-05-01
• Publisher: Prometheus Books

Summary

Adam Smith's The Theory of Moral Sentiments is must reading for those who value living a free and moral life.

Table of Contents

PART I.
Of the Propriety of Action	1	(2)
SECTION I.
Of the Sense of Propriety	3	(7)
Of Sympathy	ib
Of the Pleasure of mutual Sympathy	10	(4)
Of the Manner in which we judge of the Propriety or Impropriety of the Affections of other Men, by their concord or dissonance with our own	14	(5)
The same Subject continued	19	(7)
Of the amiable and respectable Virtues	26	(7)
SECTION II.
Of The Degrees of the Different Passions Which are Consistent with Propriety	31
Introduction	ib
Of the Passions which take their origin from the Body	33	(6)
Of those Passions which take their origin from a particular turn or habit of the Imagination	39	(5)
Of the Unsocial Passions	44	(8)
Of the Social Passions	52	(3)
Of the Selfish Passions	55	(15)
SECTION III.
Of the Effects of Prosperity and Adversity upon the Judgment of Mankind with Regard to the Propriety of Action; And why it is More Easy to Obtain Their Approbation in the one State Than in the Other	60	(10)
That though our sympathy with Sorrow is generally a more lively sensation than our sympathy with Joy, it commonly falls much more short of the violence of what is naturally felt by the person principally concerned	ib
Of the origin of Ambition, and of the distinction of Ranks	70	(14)
Of the corruption of our Moral Sentiments, which is occasioned by this disposition to admire the rich and the great, and to despise or neglect persons of poor and mean condition	84	(10)
PART II.
Of Merit and Demerit; or, Of the Objects of Reward and Punishment	91	(2)
SECTION I.
Of the Sense of Merit and Demerit	93
Introduction	ib
That whatever appears to be the proper object of gratitude appears to deserve reward; and that, in the same manner, whatever appears to be the proper object of resentment appears to deserve punishment	94	(3)
Of the proper Objects of Gratitude and Resentment	97	(3)
That where there is no approbation of the conduct of the person who confers the benefit, there is little sympathy with the gratitude of him who receives it; and that, on the contrary, where there is no disapprobation of the motives of the person who does the mischief, there is no sort of sympathy with the resentment of him who suffers it	100	(3)
Recapitulation of the foregoing Chapters	103	(2)
The Analysis of the Sense of Merit and Demerit	105	(14)
SECTION II.
Of Justice and Beneficence	112	(7)
Comparison of those two Virtues	ib
Of the sense of Justice, of Remorse, and of the consciousness of Merit	119	(5)
Of the utility of this constitution of Nature	124	(12)
SECTION III.
Of the Influence of Fortune Upon the Sentiments of Mankind, with Regard to the Merit or Demerit of Actions	133
Introduction	ib
Of the Causes of this Influence of Fortune	136	(5)
Of the Extent of this Influence of Fortune	141	(11)
Of the final Cause of this Irregularity of Sentiments	152	(9)
PART III.
Of the Foundation of Our Judgments Concerning our Own Sentiments and Conduct, and of the Sense of Duty	159	(2)
Of the Principle of Self-approbation and Self-disapprobation	161	(5)
Of the love of Praise, and of that of Praise-worthiness; and of the dread of Blame, and of that of Blame-worthiness	166	(25)
Of the Influence and Authority of Conscience	191	(30)
Of the Nature of Self-deceit, and of the Origin and Use of general Rules	221	(8)
Of the Influence and Authority of the general Rules of Morality, and that they are justly regarded as the Laws of the Deity	229	(14)
In what cases the Sense of Duty ought to be the sole principle of our Conduct; and in what cases it ought to concur with other Motives	243	(14)
PART IV.
Of the Effect of Utility Upon the Sentiment of Approbation	255	(2)
Of the Beauty which the Appearance of Utility bestows upon all the Productions of Art, and of the extensive Influence of this Species of Beauty	257	(12)
Of the Beauty which the Appearance of Utility bestows upon the Characters and Actions of Men; and how far the Perception of this Beauty may be regarded as one of the original Principles of Approbation	269	(12)
PART V.
Of the Influence of Custom and Fashion upon the Sentiments of Moral Approbation and Disapprobation	279	(2)
Of the Influence of Custom and Fashion upon our notions of Beauty and Deformity	281	(9)
Of the Influence of Custom and Fashion upon Moral Sentiments	290	(31)
PART VI.
Of the Character of Virtue	307	(2)
Introduction	309	(1)
SECTION I.
Of the Character of the Individual so far as it Affects his own Happiness; or of Prudence	310	(9)
SECTION II.
Of the Character of the Individual so far as it can Affect the Happiness of other People	319
Introduction	ib
Of the Order in which Individuals are recommended by Nature to our care and attention	321	(13)
Of the Order in which Societies are by Nature recommended to our Beneficence	334	(11)
Of Universal Benevolence	345	(50)
SECTION III.
Of Self-Command	349	(36)
Conclusion of the Sixth Part	385	(4)
PART VII.
Of Systems of Moral Philosophy	389	(2)
SECTION I.
Of the Questions which ought to be Examined in a Theory of Moral Sentiments	391	(2)
SECTION II.
Of the Different Accounts which have been Given of the Nature of Virtue	393
Introduction	ib
Of those Systems which make Virtue consist in Propriety	395	(36)
Of those Systems which make Virtue consist in Prudence	431	(9)
Of those Systems which make Virtue consist in Benevolence	440	(9)
Of Licentious Systems	449	(14)
SECTION III.
Of the Different Systems Which Have Been Formed Concerning the Principle of Approbation	461
Introduction	ib
Of those Systems which deduce the Principle of Approbation from Self-love	463	(4)
Of those Systems which make Reason the Principle of Approbation	467	(5)
Of those Systems which make Sentiment the Principle of Approbation	472
SECTION IV.
Of the Manner in Which Different Authors Have Treated of the Practical Rules of Morality	482
Considerations Concerning the First Formation of Languages, &c	505