Ancient Sources in Adam Smith’s Theories of Sympathetic Morality and Imagination: Aristotle’s Thought and The Theory of Moral Sentiments

From Firenze University Press Journal: Diciottesimo Secolo

Gianni de Nittis, Universita degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

The intellectual movement that developed in Scotland in the 18th century, known as the Scottish Enlightenment, was characterized by a renewed interest in classical Greek and Latin authors — particularly in the Stoics and Cicero, and to a lesser extent in the Epicureans and Sceptics (Harris 2009: 161). Leaving aside the dangers of overlap, invisible influences, and arbitrary inference, it is important to make clear that the influence of Aristotelian, Platonic, Stoic or Neo-Stoic writings on the Scottish Enlightenment should not be seen as a direct adaptation or an unquestioning acceptance. Scottish philosophers eclectically integrated classical elements into their systems), driven by the desire to develop a science of man. There is, of course, a large body of scholarship on the subject of sympathy within the Scottish Enlightenment: consider the latest studies by Jean-François Dunyach, Ann Thomson, Geoff Cockfield, Ann Firth and John Laurent. For example, they adapted Stoic-inspired teachings, on self-discipline, control of emotions and the impor-tance of ethics — or, in the case of the Cambridge Platon-ists, the concept of the human soul as an integral part of the divine order and as a means of accessing truth and knowledge — to their new philosophical perspec-tives. They moved towards a syncretic vision that sought to reconcile classical principles with elements of Christianity. A significant group of Scottish thinkers devoted themselves to the challenging task of identifying points of convergence between these two learned philosophical traditions, highlighting the harmony between the moral principles and the ontological vision of man that permeate both Stoicism and Christianity. They felt the need to investigate the essence of both schools of thought in depth in order to draw fruitful conclusions in the realm of moral knowledge and self-awareness.The process of integration and synthesis of classical currents in the Scottish Enlightenment contributed to a rich and diverse flowering of philosophical, moral, and political thought of the period, leaving a lasting imprint on the Scottish intellectual movement and allowing for creative dialogue and the search for convergence between rationality, virtue, and a new understanding of the human condition. This paper aims to explore the influence of classical philosophical currents in the Scottish Enlightenment, focusing in particular on the rela-tionship between Aristotle and Adam Smith. The classical legacy in Adam Smith and his use of ancient sources — especially Aristotle and his Platonic predecessors — is a fundamental aspect of his thought and philosophical influences. The exploration of Adam Smith’s appropriation of Aristotle is, of course, a vast area of research. In this context, I will focus on one particular aspect, namely the distinctly Aristotelian nature of Smith’s moral philosophy. Furthermore, I will also attempt to refine the commonly held view that Smith is closer to the Stoic school than to other classical currents by examining the relationship between Smith and Aristotle on the themes of wonder, intellectual virtues and imagination.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ds-15063

Read Full Text: https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/ds/article/view/15063