Adam Smith Theory Of Moral Sentiments Analysis

Coase explained about how selfish a man can be by focussing the essence of Smith’s “The Theory of Moral Sentiments”, to explain that principle of the nature of man. He explains about the pleasure of a man extracted out by rendering the happiness on others, though he derived nothing out of it. He quoted the idea of Smith, the sympathy the basis for our concern for others. We articulate the feel of others by considering ourselves into the shoes of others [1]. This is explained with the example, considering the great empire of China, affected by massive earthquake. What would be the humanity feel of a man in Europe who had no connection with China? At the very first moment he could express his strong sorrow gratitude and human sentiments towards the people who suffer in China. Then after few hours of sympathy he gets back to pursue his own business or his pleasure and take his diversion form that fact. This narrates that a man would befall himself into strong disaster may be, even if he comes to know he loses only his little finger tomorrow, he would not sleep to-night. This explains the man’s nature of thinking of self more than that of others.

The passions depend on the various needs of the humans. The needs include drives, emotions, and motivational feelings. The passion controls the behavior. However, one can override the behavior influenced by the passion. While the “Impartial spectator” is termed for the person who is a farsighted planner rather entering into conflicts with short-sighted “doers” [2]. “The Theory of Moral sentiments” speaks about preferences using the dual framework of the passions and the impartial spectator, which is given in the following