Adam Smith

Eric Schliesser is Professor of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam. He is editor of The Oxford Handbook of Newton (OUP, forthcoming), Ten Neglected Classics of Philosophy (OUP, 2016), and Sympathy: A History (OUP, 2015).

• AcknowledgmentsList of abbreviationsBibliographic note 1. Introduction: Systematic Philosopher & Public Philosophera. Systems in Adam Smithb. Smith's Corpus as Two Systems of Philosophyc. A Bibliographical Interluded. Methodological Remarkse. Brief Summary Part 1. Propensities and Passions2. Passionate Human Naturea. Human Propensities & Smithian Social Explanationb. Mind, Language, and Society3. The Passions, Rationality, and Reasona. Natural Passionsb. Proto-Passions, or Preconceptions and why Smith is not an Empiricistc. Causation, Sound Judgment, and Environmental Rationalityd. Reason as an Active Principlee. Natural unexpected passions: the intellectual sentiments.f. Derived Passions4. From Natural Sentiments to General Rules and Moral Sentimentsa. Natural Sentimentsi. Smith's criticisms of Hume's account of Propertyii. The Natural Sentiments and General Rulesb. Moral Faculties; the moral Sense and conscience 5. The Sympathetic Process & Judgments of Proprietya. Sympathetic process (feelings)b. Sympathy and Knowledge of Causal Relationsc. Judgments of Proportionalityd. Counterfactual reasoning in the Sympathetic Processe. The Piacular, or On Seeing Oneself as a Moral Cause in Adam Smithi. We (Ought to) See Ourselves as Causes!ii. Norms of Appeasement, or on experts and Smith's Embrace of Fortuneiii. Superstition and Grandeuriv. Natural Sentiments and Enlightenment, or Nature vs Reasonf. The Impartial Spectator Part 2: Society6. Society and Political Taxonomy: Individuals, Classes, Factions, Nations, and Governments7. Adam Smith's Foundations for Political Philosophya. "A New Utopia"b. Even the Humane Smithc. Belonging to Societyi. The Genealogy of Propertyii. Original and Derived Propertyiii. The Turn to History: the Enlightenment Imperative8. Institutions and Social Consequentialisma. Society, Justice, and group-Selectionb. Utility and Social Institutionsc. The Measure of Real Price: Adam Smith's Science of Equityd. Progressive Taxatione. On Theoretical Partiality Toward the Working Poorf. The role of the legislator; private virtue, public happiness.g. Libertyh. Regulating Markets9. Virtuea. Virtue as Excellence or Virtue in Common Life?b. Excellent-in-Virtue-of Character10. Three Invisible Handsa. The Invisible Hand of Jupiter, and Miracles.b. The "Vain and Insatiable Desires" of the Richc. Promoting Unintended Ends in WNd. Comparing the three Invisible Hands.11. Philosophy of Sciencea. Philosophy Within the Division of Laborb. Social Epistemology & the Impartial Spectatorc. Copernicus & Newton: Modest Scientific Realismd. Magnanimous Superstition12. The Methodology of Wealth of Nationsa. Reflexivityb. Natural and Market Pricesc. Deviations from Nature, "The Price of Free Competition"i. Newton's Fourth Rule of Reasoningii. Descartes and Kepler's Irregularities d. The Role of Institutionse. Model, Cause, Process; Smithian Social Explanationf. Hume vs. Smith on the Introduction of Commerceg. Hume's Natural Rate of Propagation and Smith's Digression on Silver13. Smith and Anti-Mathematicisma. Adam Smith's Newtonianism Reconsideredb. The Road to True Philosophyc. Anti-mathematicism and Proportionality in Hume and Smithd. Adam Smith and Proportions (as well as good judgment) Part 3: Philosophers14. Religiona. Biblical Revelation & Christian Theologyb. Anti-Clericalism & Freedom of Religion15. A Cheerful Philosophical Lifea. The Commercial Philosopherb. Hume's exchange with Charonc. Friendship, Sincerity, and Real Happiness Part 4: Conclusion16. Conclusion BibliographyIndex

Schliesser has done a masterful job putting his work together into a logical progression, and tying together loose ends...It is a brilliant accomplishment. All serious Smith scholars will want to give it a careful read.