Articles
The Philosophical Origin of Adam Smith’s Economic and Social Order
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Author이상헌
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Year2009
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VolumeVol.57
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NumberNo.1
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The economic discourse of A. Smith constitutes a part of his moral
philosophy which, in turn, reflects the tradition of Scottish Enlightenment.
Smith’s notion of liberal economic order is characterized by empiricism and
individualism. This paper examines their philosophical sources. It argues that
empiricism comes from Hutcheson who restructured the natural law theories of
the modern era in terms of moral-cum-empiricist arguments. Smith in turn
transformed Hutcheson’s moral system, and removed the social necessity to
enforce the common good. It makes Smith’s social order individualistic as well
as empiricist. -
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