---
product_id: 56421232
title: "The Theory of Moral Sentiments: Adam Smith (Penguin Classics)"
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---

# Timeless social & ethical relevance Classic philosophical masterpiece Deep psychological insights The Theory of Moral Sentiments: Adam Smith (Penguin Classics)

**Price:** 6038CFA
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## Summary

> 📖 Unlock the timeless wisdom that shaped modern ethics and economics!

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- **What is this?** The Theory of Moral Sentiments: Adam Smith (Penguin Classics)
- **How much does it cost?** 6038CFA with free shipping
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## Key Features

- • **Ahead of Its Time:** Pre-Darwinian evolutionary psychology insights that still resonate today.
- • **Eloquent & Engaging:** A literary gem that enriches your understanding with every page.
- • **Multidisciplinary Brilliance:** Blends ethics, economics, aesthetics, and social psychology in one compelling read.
- • **Essential for Thought Leaders:** A must-have for professionals craving intellectual depth and cultural sophistication.
- • **Philosophical Mastery Reimagined:** Explore ethics through the pioneering lens of Adam Smith’s psychological theory.

## Overview

Adam Smith’s 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments' is a foundational work in philosophy and social psychology, offering profound insights into human morality, ethics, and behavior. This Penguin Classics edition presents Smith’s eloquent exploration of sympathy, ethics, and economic thought, making it an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the roots of modern social and moral philosophy.

## Description

Buy The Theory of Moral Sentiments: Adam Smith (Penguin Classics) Anniversary by Smith, Adam (ISBN: 9780143105923) from desertcart's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

Review: Adam Smith's other great masterpiece - This books is a masterpiece, not only of philosophical ethics, but also of social psychology. It recasts ethics by examining the psychology of why people think some actions good and other actions bad. It's examination of these psychological factors is both incisive and pretty exhaustive. At times, it contains pre-echoes of the ideas of modern evolutionary psychologists, as in the following passage: "Thus self-preservation, and the propagation of the species, are the great ends which Nature seems to have proposed in the formation of all animals. Mankind are endowed with a desire of those ends, and an aversion to the contrary; with a love of life, and a dread of dissolution; with a desire of the continuance and perpetuity of the species, and with an aversion to the thoughts of its intire extinction. But though we are in this manner endowed with a very strong desire of those ends, it has not been intrusted to the slow and uncertain determinations of our reason, to find out the proper means of bringing them about. Nature has directed us to the greater part of these by original and immediate instincts." These instincts are brought to bear in explaining, among other things, why parents are more likely to be excessive than deficient in love for their children, and why we are horrified by the deficiency, but tolerant of the excess. That's classic Evo Psych, a hundred years before Darwin. Apart from a very wide ranging survey of ethical topics, there is also an essay on aesthetics, which again is very much in tune with modern psychology, a discussion of economic behaviour (not surprising, given that Adam Smith pretty much invented modern economics), a discussion of cultural differences in ethics, an examination of some topics in politics, and an interesting reassessment of then-existing theories of ethics in the light of Adam Smith's psychological theory. Not only does the book give an excellent overview of ethical topics and a very well thought out and interesting theory, it's also an enjoyable read, and full of interesting thoughts on psychology. I'm inclined to think that a social psychologists could make a whole career by going through this book chapter by chapter and basing research projects around the ideas contained therein. It could also be used as a moral guide. It deserves to be very widely read.
Review: Master piece of pure eloquence - What an excellent example of eloquent writing this book is, besides its suppositions and content this book is just a complete and utter pleasure to read for anyone who truly appreciates a good wordsmith and Smith really is one. From the opening chapters which describe his theory that via the medium of imagination individuals do comprehend others being, enjoy mutual sympathies etc. through all the chapters introducing ideas or thought experiments much appreciated by later liberals and philosophers such as the impartial observer, ideas about character, deep praise of stoicism, detachment and fortune to its finish I enjoyed all of this and would highly recommend it. I have not read the wealth of nations to know how it compliments the more famous work but regret that this is not more well known, my favourite chapters include those upon beauty and utility, while he does not mention utilitarian philosophers directly he does heap praise upon the philosophy and considers things beautiful which have the quality of utility. There are some great reflections in this part of the book about wealth and fortune and why those without envy those with means but also the ill fated destiny of many who suddenly, or even through hard graft and time, discover to themselves some means, with increased means the demands for further increased means being a big factor. Some of the musings about the accumulation of possessions, using examples of "tweezer boxes" or novelty trinkets of the time which sound something like swiss army knives,are pretty perennial (along with many others besides) and like later day criticisms of consumerism, hoarding types and Erich Fromm's "To Have or To Be?" idea, although only a footnote to other ideas and therefore a lot shorter. Overall this book impressed upon me someone with a great love of humanity, of a certain sort of literary humanism, without magnifying what it is to be human and experience the human condition to the point were it eclipses all else but a happy, humble, appreciative and reflective mode of being. Smith thought carefully, reflected a lot and enjoyed writing about it in a manner which allows the reader to enter into his experience readily and relate to it easily. Of this I am certain that reading this really enriched my life, understanding and thinking. Recommended.

## Features

- New Store Stock

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | 31,341 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 67 in Philosopher Biographies 569 in Social & Health Issues Biographies 797 in Philosophy (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 752 Reviews |

## Images

![The Theory of Moral Sentiments: Adam Smith (Penguin Classics) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61FhIf+Il+L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Adam Smith's other great masterpiece
*by P***R on 1 February 2014*

This books is a masterpiece, not only of philosophical ethics, but also of social psychology. It recasts ethics by examining the psychology of why people think some actions good and other actions bad. It's examination of these psychological factors is both incisive and pretty exhaustive. At times, it contains pre-echoes of the ideas of modern evolutionary psychologists, as in the following passage: "Thus self-preservation, and the propagation of the species, are the great ends which Nature seems to have proposed in the formation of all animals. Mankind are endowed with a desire of those ends, and an aversion to the contrary; with a love of life, and a dread of dissolution; with a desire of the continuance and perpetuity of the species, and with an aversion to the thoughts of its intire extinction. But though we are in this manner endowed with a very strong desire of those ends, it has not been intrusted to the slow and uncertain determinations of our reason, to find out the proper means of bringing them about. Nature has directed us to the greater part of these by original and immediate instincts." These instincts are brought to bear in explaining, among other things, why parents are more likely to be excessive than deficient in love for their children, and why we are horrified by the deficiency, but tolerant of the excess. That's classic Evo Psych, a hundred years before Darwin. Apart from a very wide ranging survey of ethical topics, there is also an essay on aesthetics, which again is very much in tune with modern psychology, a discussion of economic behaviour (not surprising, given that Adam Smith pretty much invented modern economics), a discussion of cultural differences in ethics, an examination of some topics in politics, and an interesting reassessment of then-existing theories of ethics in the light of Adam Smith's psychological theory. Not only does the book give an excellent overview of ethical topics and a very well thought out and interesting theory, it's also an enjoyable read, and full of interesting thoughts on psychology. I'm inclined to think that a social psychologists could make a whole career by going through this book chapter by chapter and basing research projects around the ideas contained therein. It could also be used as a moral guide. It deserves to be very widely read.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Master piece of pure eloquence
*by L***K on 18 April 2016*

What an excellent example of eloquent writing this book is, besides its suppositions and content this book is just a complete and utter pleasure to read for anyone who truly appreciates a good wordsmith and Smith really is one. From the opening chapters which describe his theory that via the medium of imagination individuals do comprehend others being, enjoy mutual sympathies etc. through all the chapters introducing ideas or thought experiments much appreciated by later liberals and philosophers such as the impartial observer, ideas about character, deep praise of stoicism, detachment and fortune to its finish I enjoyed all of this and would highly recommend it. I have not read the wealth of nations to know how it compliments the more famous work but regret that this is not more well known, my favourite chapters include those upon beauty and utility, while he does not mention utilitarian philosophers directly he does heap praise upon the philosophy and considers things beautiful which have the quality of utility. There are some great reflections in this part of the book about wealth and fortune and why those without envy those with means but also the ill fated destiny of many who suddenly, or even through hard graft and time, discover to themselves some means, with increased means the demands for further increased means being a big factor. Some of the musings about the accumulation of possessions, using examples of "tweezer boxes" or novelty trinkets of the time which sound something like swiss army knives,are pretty perennial (along with many others besides) and like later day criticisms of consumerism, hoarding types and Erich Fromm's "To Have or To Be?" idea, although only a footnote to other ideas and therefore a lot shorter. Overall this book impressed upon me someone with a great love of humanity, of a certain sort of literary humanism, without magnifying what it is to be human and experience the human condition to the point were it eclipses all else but a happy, humble, appreciative and reflective mode of being. Smith thought carefully, reflected a lot and enjoyed writing about it in a manner which allows the reader to enter into his experience readily and relate to it easily. Of this I am certain that reading this really enriched my life, understanding and thinking. Recommended.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Four Stars
*by A***R on 8 October 2015*

As with previous Adam Smith product - really interesting stuff.

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*Last updated: 2026-02-10*