Abstract
Does The Theory of Moral Sentiments reveal Adam Smith to be an "ethical utilitarian"? I approach the question by elucidating David Hume's qualifications to his own utility doctrine and the qualifications by Smith to his critique of that doctrine. I demonstrate Smith's acceptance of "happiness" as maximand, reject a narrow interpretation of the happiness entity frequently attributed to Jeremy Bentham, and confirm the role Bentham, no less than Smith and Hume, accords motivation in ethical evaluation. I conclude that the agreement amongst the three is such that to deny Smith the designation "ethical utilitarian" implies similar treatment of Hume and Bentham.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 557-580 |
Number of pages | 24 |
Journal | Eastern Economic Journal |
Volume | 42 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Dec 2016 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Bentham
- Hume
- Justice
- Smith
- Utilitarianism
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics and Econometrics