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ADAM SMITH AND THE MODERN SCIENCE OF ETHICS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2012

James Konow*
Affiliation:
Kiel University and Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Germany and Loyola Marymount University, USAjkonow@lmu.edu

Abstract

Third-party decision-makers, or spectators, have emerged as a useful empirical tool in modern social science research on moral motivation. Spectators of a sort also serve a central role in Adam Smith's moral theory. This paper compares these two types of spectatorship with respect to their goals, methodologies, visions of human nature and emphasis on moral rules. I find important similarities and differences and conclude that this comparison suggests significant opportunities for philosophical ethics to inform empirical and theoretical research on moral preferences and vice versa.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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