Philosophy Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
| |||
|
| |||
| Inequalities: To detect inequalities, one needs to identify the relevant factors, collect data, analyze the data, and interpret the results. See also Indistinguishability, Differences, Equality, Similarity, Identity, Interpretation, Description dependence, Comparisons, Comparability._____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
| Author | Concept | Summary/Quotes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Adam Smith on Inequalities - Dictionary of Arguments
Otteson I 42 Inequalities/Adam Smith/Otteson: Early in WN(1), Smith writes: "The difference of natural talents in different men is, in reality, much less than we are aware of; and the very different genius which appears to distinguish men of different professions, when grown up to maturity, is not upon manyoccasions so much the cause, as the effect of the division of labour" (WN(1): 28). >Division of labour/Adam Smith. Smith continues: "The difference between the most dissimilar characters, between a philosopher and a common street porter, for example, seems to arise not so much from nature, as from habit, custom, and education" (WN(1): 28-29). Smith was himself, of course, a philosopher, so he includes himself in this comparison. So, according to Smith, we have different geniuses, but are not substantially different by nature. Pause for a moment to consider how radical such a claim would have been taken to be in the eighteenth century, when everyone "knew" that there were stark natural - and thus enduring - differences in different human characters. Otteson: (…) do these differing geniuses lead to differing levels of wealth that we will enjoy? Yes. As long as we live in a country whose level of prosperity is growing for all of us, however, Smith is less concerned about material inequality than he is about moral inequality. And in the free society he envisions, Smith claims that "the most dissimilar geniuses are of use to one another; the different produces of their respective talents, by the general disposition to truck, barter, and exchange, being brought, as it were, into a common stock, where every man may purchase whatever part of the produce of other men's talents he has occasion for" (WN(1): 30). Solution: What is the medium through which we "truck, barter, and exchange"? It is the market—and the freer it is, the better. >Market/Adam Smith, >Equality/Adam Smith. 1. Smith, Adam. (1776) The Wealth of Nations. London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
EconSmith I Adam Smith The Theory of Moral Sentiments London 2010 EconSmithV I Vernon L. Smith Rationality in Economics: Constructivist and Ecological Forms Cambridge 2009 Otteson I James R. Otteson The Essential Adam Smith Vancouver: Fraser Institute. 2018 |
||
> Counter arguments against Smith
> Counter arguments in relation to Inequalities
