{"product_id":"on-adam-smiths-wealth-of-nations-9780691123905","title":"On Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAdam Smith was a philosopher before he ever wrote about economics, yet there has never been a philosophical commentary on the Wealth of Nations. This book suggests that Smith's vastly influential treatise on economics can be better understood if placed in the light of his epistemology, philosophy of science, and moral theory.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWinner of the 2009 Joseph B. Gittler Award, American Philosophical Association \"In my opinion, all readers interested in Adam Smith's project and\/or the modern Post-Smithian notion of distributive justice, should have access to this book, so they can study this important, provocative contribution to the understanding of Smith's conception of justice.\"--Spencer J. Pack, EH.NET \"[A]n enlightening guide to the philosophical component of the Wealth of Nations and its relation to Smith's other works. [This] is ... an exceptionally good book.\"--D. D. Raphael, British Journal for the History of Philosophy \"Fleischacker ... has a sure philosophical grasp of Smith's ideas. He uses this to great effect, presenting what is the first rigorous philosophical commentary on the Wealth of Nations in English, of which I am aware.\"--Duncan Kelly, Political Studies Review \"There is no question that Fleischacker has produced a landmark study of Adam Smith's works. His handling of philosophical issues is subtle and suggestive; and in probing 'the virtues that lie within and just beyond the frame of Wealth of Nations', Fleischacker provides new philosophical resources for the debate about the fundamental relation between Wealth of Nations and Smith's larger philosophical project.\"--Vivienne Brown, Eighteenth Century Scotland \"Overall, this is a very useful book whether treated as a companion or, better, read straight through.\"--John Douglas Bishop, Philosophy in Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgments xi  Abbreviations xiii  Introduction xv  PART I: Methodology  CHAPTER ONE: Literary Method 3  1. Obstacles to Reading Smith 4  2. Rhetoric 12  3. Genre 15  4. Style and Philosophical Method 19  CHAPTER TWO: Epistemology and Philosophy of Science 27  5. Epistemology 27  6. Philosophy of Science 31  7. Philosophy of Social Science 34  8. Types of Evidence 36  9. Providentialism 44  CHAPTER THREE: Moral Philosophy 46  10. Moral Sentimentalism 46  11. The Wealth of Nations and Moral Philosophy 48  12. A Moral Assessment of Capitalism? 55  PART II: Human Nature  CHAPTER FOUR: Overview 61  13. Philosophy and the Theory of Human Nature 61  14. Smith's Picture of Human Nature 66  15. Religious Sentiments 70  16. Impartiality and Equality 72  17. Culture and History 80  18. From Homo Moralis to Homo Economicus 82  CHAPTER FIVE: Self-Interest 84  19. WN in Context 84  20. \"Bettering One's Condition\" in WN II. 87  21. Self-love in WN I.ii 90  22. Self-interest versus \"General Benevolence\" 95  23. Self-interest as an Assumption in WN 97  24. Smith and Hobbes: A Response to Cropsey 100  CHAPTER SIX: Vanity 104  25. Vanity in TMS IV.i 105  26. TMS IV.I in the Light of WN 108  27. TMS IV.I and the 1790 Edition of TMS 112  28. The Importance of Vanity 115  29. From Homo Moralis to Homo Economicus (Reprise) 118  PART III: Foundations of Economics  CHAPTER SEVEN: Foundations of Economics 123  30. Natural Price\/Market Price 123  31. Real Price\/Nominal Price; Labor Theory of Value 124  32. The Long Term versus the Short; Growth versus Allocation; Definition of Wealth 131  33. Productive and Unproductive Labor 134  34. The Invisible Hand 138  PART IV: Justice  CHAPTER EIGHT: A Theory of Justice? 145  35. Some Puzzles about Smith's Treatment of Justice 145  36. Smith's Different Accounts of Justice 148  37. A First Argument for the Precision of Rules of Justice 153  38. Critical Jurisprudence and the Problems in Defining \"Harm\" 158  39. A Second Argument for the Precision of Rules of Justice 161  40. Reconstructing Smith's Theory of Natural Justice 166  41. Smith's Critical Jurisprudence in LJ and WN 169  CHAPTER NINE: Property Rights 174  42. Property as Central to Justice 174  43. Utilitarian Accounts of Property 178  44. Locke, Hutcheson, and Hume on \"Original\" Ownership 180  45. Smith on \"Original\" Ownership 185  46. Property in WN 192  47. Taxation and Property Rights 193  48. Inheritance and Property Rights 197  49. Redistribution and Property Rights 200  CHAPTER TEN: Distributive Justice 203  50. Two Meanings for \"Distributive Justice\" 203  51. Smith's Contribution to the Politics of Poverty 205  52. A Brief History of Distributive Justice 209  53. The Right of Necessity 215  54. Smith and Natural Law Views of Property 221  PART V: Politics  CHAPTER ELEVEN: Politics 229  55. Moral Vices of Politicians 229  56. Cognitive Vices of Politicians 233  57. Problems with the \"Private Sector\" 236  58. Law over Policy; Well-designed Institutions 242  59. Republics versus Monarchies; Civic Republicanism 246  60. National Glory; War 250  61. Conclusion 257  Epilogue  CHAPTER TWELVE: Learning from Smith Today 261  Notes 283  Index Locorum 313  General Index 321","brand":"Princeton University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49403739603287,"sku":"9780691123905","price":999.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/on-adam-smiths-wealth-of-nations-9780691123905","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}