The Essays of Adam Smith
by Adam Smith (1723–1790)
- Free to read
- 16 hours to read
- 12 chapters
- Reading level: College-level
"The Essays of Adam Smith" by Adam Smith is a collection of philosophical essays written in the 18th century. This work explores a variety of topics including moral sentiments, the formation of languages, and inquiries into astronomy and the arts. It delves into human nature, ethics, and the principles guiding social behavior, aiming to articulate the psychological mechanisms underlying human interactions. The opening of this collection introduces the foundational theme of moral sentiments, focusing on the concept of sympathy. Smith asserts that human beings possess inherent principles that connect them to the fortunes of others, allowing for feelings of compassion and a shared emotional experience. He elaborates on how individuals gauge the emotional states of others by relating their feelings to their own, highlighting the interplay between one's internal feelings and the actions of others. The essay sets the stage for a rich exploration of how our sentiments shape our perceptions of propriety, justice, and moral reasoning throughout the collection.
Read the opening
Part I
CH. I. Of Sympathy . . . . . . 9-13
CH. II. Of the Pleasure of Mutual Sympathy . . 13-16
CH. III., IV. 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 . . . . . . . 16-23
CH. V. Of the amiable and respectable Virtues . 23-26
SEC. II. Of the Degrees of the different Passions which are consistent with Propriety . . 26
CH. I. Of the Passions which take their Origin from
the Body . . . . . . . 26-30
CH. II. Of those Passions which take their Origin
from a particular Turn or Habit of the
Imagination . . . . . . 30-32
CH. III. Of the unsocial Passions . . . 32-37
CH. IV. Of the social Passions . . . . 37-39
CH. V. Of the selfish Passions . . . . 39-41
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About this edition
This free edition of The Essays of Adam Smith by Adam Smith comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #58559, released 2018-12-28. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Essays, Letters & Speeches, Philosophy & Ethics.
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