CONTENTS
I. Introduction of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and Part V ……………1
II. Comments on Of the Influence of Custom and Fashion upon the Sentiments of Moral Approbation and Disapprobation ……………………1
1 Reasonability and limitation on Part V One ……………………………一切会好的2
2 My agreement on the Part V Two ………………………………………3
3 Further reflections after reading大闸蟹怎么清蒸 ………………………………………3
III. Conclusion …上网设置……………………………………………………………5
V. References …………………………………………………………………5
On the Influence of Custom and Fashion upon the Sentiments of Moral Approbation
and Disapprobation
I. Introduction of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and Part V
As one of two major great works of Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments should has derved, actually, higher reputation and more significance than the other, Wealth of Nation, for discussing the fundamental moral concepts and issues, backing up his economic theory, and especially arguing the most important term: Sympathy. Adam Smith, a socialist first, then an economist, donates almost all his life revising this book.
Some German scholars, comparing his two great books, came up with so-called “Adam Smith Problem” saying that there are paradox points of human nature in two books. With deeper comprehension and further studies of Adam Smith and The Theory of Moral Sentiments, an increasingly number of scholars tend to believe that inner n of value in the two books derives from one source—egoism—the conception that any individual
is a lf-centered person. Adam Smith holds that, with no doubt, a rational person must be a lf-interested one, no matter in economic activities or social and moral activities.
海豚怎么画Adam Smith, in Part V of this book, firstly states that how custom and fashion, as principles, influence our notions of beauty and deformity. He believes that custom and fashion can be considered as one source of people’s notions on beauty. When judging an art work or a material of nature is beautiful or not, a person tends to take his custom and social fashion into account. Besides on notion of beauty, custom and fashion also have an impact on our moral ntiment, which derves more reading and study. Adam Smith begins with a comparison between influences on the two levels. He says the principle imagination on our n of beauty, very much and delicate, is likely to be changed by habits and education; whereas our ntiments of moral approbation and disapprobation are much more stronger passion, which can not be entirely changed, only partly influenced by some external factors.
II. Comments on Of the Influence of Custom and Fashion upon the Sentiments of Moral Approbation and Disapprobation.
辛亥革命意义1. Reasonability and limitation on Part V One.
In this part, Adam Smith defines the beautiful things as tho of which inner connection you are accustomed or you have already get ud to. Imagination plays a crucial role in this process, which also an esntial word in the whole book.
I think that idea is creative and nsible; at least, I have never read similar viewpoints on beauty before. The author supports his viewpoint by using a large amount of examples in daily life, according to his writing style. Given what he argues on is somehow abstract, when discussing how custom influences on our notion of beauty and deformity, Adam Smith lects maybe the most pervasive examples to prop up his idea. In this part Adam Smith takes dress and furniture as examples to elaborate his argument. The author says a person may find a meaningless and awkwardness in the abnce even of a button in a suit that he is familiar with. This is a situation we usually experience in our life so that we can hardly deny its rationality. Hence, we are naturally convinced by him for sound proves that most of us do have the similar feeling in such situation.
Adam Smith attributes the reason of this phenomenon to our customs. Partially, I do agree with Adam Smith’s idea and his discussion, but partially, I do not. From my perspective, this influence occurs in most ordinary man-made materials and art works in his era, when forms or arts were somehow simple and moderate. But when it comes to modern arts, such impact is not so correct. Many of famous great art works created by contemporary masters impress people with marvelous beauty just becau of their breaking custom and fashion of common people, instead of corresponding to them. Modern arts, on the one hand, need moderation; on the other hand, demands absolute creation. For example, Picasso draws a picture using most popular color with a fashionable them, his appreciators may find it a beautiful print which makes them comfortable, but that is all, with no more and higher prai. It is Picasso’s creative deviation on shapes and space that impress appreciators and admit him into great masters. Maybe following customs and fashion, Picasso will never reach today’s level. In this situation, custom may produces a negatively harm influence on arts. But it is mostly times limitation, or an inevitable shortcoming becau tho schools of arts were born almost two hundred years late after Adam Smith’s death.
2. 奶白鲫鱼豆腐汤My agreement on the Part V Two
租地协议The influence of custom and fashion on our moral approbation and disapprobation is on both sides, different from that on beauty, which is almost optimistic.
From this part, we tend to find a trend that good social custom makes people better, bad makes them wor, which I prefer using a metaphor to summarize: a catalyst of human nature, as Adam Smith put it, “When custom and fashion coincide with the natural principles of right and wrong, they heighten the delicacy of our ntiment, and increa our abhorrence for every thing which approaches to evil” (1759). Many examples are talked by Adam Smith in this part to illustrate the influences of custom and fashion, though, compared with other esntial factors, they may be inferior ones.
I totally agree with Adam Smith’s idea that becau his elaborated argument by reasonable comparison. He argues his main idea by comparing a well-developed civilization with a non-developed one—full of savage and cruelty: In a society with high civilization resulting to a peaceful and wealthy life, people’s ntiments are mostly occupi
ed by virtues of humane quality; in a crude society the virtue depending on lf-commands and control of passion gains its popularity. Thus, people in civilized environment being accustomed to respect human and nature, usually become “frank, open and sincere”; Barbarians, being engaged to control every passion, tend to conceal and dissimulate truth. That is to say, custom and fashion, which play a role as a catalyst, strengthen good virtue in civilized society and aggravate evils in a barbarian society. 特别是
