Adam Smiths Theory of Self-Interest

Adam Smiths Theory of Self-Interest Adam Smith is a fascinated moral philosopher and an expert of economic. He left two famous books. I can still get much enlightenment when I read his words in this modern society. His mainly research are on morality and economy. This essay will focus on how self-interest motivates individuals in these two aspects and what role does self-interest plays in the developing society. Having found this complex question, we should have a general understanding of what is self-interest? Many people may confound self-interest and selfish. Adam Smith thought people will do whatever good to themselves when they burned and selfish is a human’s natural action. (Smith Moral ex.) But actually those two words have huge differences. Selfish describe a kind of person who just care about himself of herself. They ignore others feeling or benefit as long as they can get something good from what they did. This is really a negative influence which we should abandon it. ‘Self-interest or self-love is derived from the selfish passions, but self-love is not identified with selfishness, because self-love, like other interests, can be virtuous (the virtue of prudence) or evil (greed or avarice).’ (Werhane, PH 1989, p. 671) Self-interest looks like selfish on the surface but indeed it can make an interaction between people. ‘To the selfish and original passions of human nature, the loss or gain of a very small interest of our own appears to be of vastly more importance, excites a much more passionate joy or sorrow, a much greater desire or aversion, than the greatest concern of another with whom we have no particular connection.’ (Smith Moral ex. 8). Everyone who chase them own profits and don’t do harm to others’ benefits in the meantime is called self-interest. Thus help other is helping themselves in fact and the more you get better the more you are willing to help others, which is a kind of huge power to make our society improve, so our society will become much more harmonious and plentiful eventually. That why Adam Smith said: ‘His interests, as long as they are surveyed from this standpoint, can never be put into balance with our own; can never restrain us from doing whatever may tend to promote our own self-interest.’ (Smith Moral ex. 8) On the other hand, although Adam Smith believes self-interest may make people seems selfish, but it will bring sympathy to them as well. Smith said: ‘The man of the most perfect virtue, the man whom we naturally love and admire the most, is he who joins, to the perfect command of his own original and selfish6 feelings, a real appreciation of the original and sympathetic feelings of others.’ (Smith Moral ex. 7) It is a natural when people burn, which let people take others feeling and their happiness or sadness into them own business, even though he derives nothing from it except the pleasure of seeing it. (Smith Moral ex. 1) Smith thinks sympathy is kinds of sense which will make their emotion fluctuate with others feeling which can resolve the conflict between individual interests and social interests. ‘The man who feels the most or the joys and sorrows of others, is best fitted for acquiring the most complete control of his own joys and sorrows.’ (Smith Mo ral ex. 5) Furthermore sympathy not only means share feelings but understands and contain as well. We can acquire the same feeling when we in the similar circumstance that others had thus we will have a deeply communication with them. They will see the phase called help other is helping me. ‘Smith argues, sympathy, coupled with reason, imagination, and our natural desire for â€Å"what ought to be approved of† provide the conditions that enable us disinterestedly or impartially to examine and to approve or disapprove a motive, character, or action.’ (Werhane, PH 1989, p. 677). So what prompted the ordinary people on many occasions to sacrifice their interests for others bigger benefits? It is not a noble and grant human natural, it is a strong motivation; a self-satisfied; a self-interest! (Smith Moral ex. 11) Smith thought everybody burn with self-interests they only want to do the things good to themselves, which is the prime motive for human’s active. People help others want to achieve their own goal indeed so they will become better when they help others. ‘He will be more likely to get their help if he can interest their self-love in favoring him, and show them that it is for their own advantage to do what he requires of them.’ (Smith Wealth ex. 3) In this case the more individuals chase their benefits the more they motivate the whole society’s progress and the society include all walks of life will achieve a universal prosperity finally. Just as Smith argue that: ‘He is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an outcome which was not part of his intention.’ (Smith Wealth ex. 6) Each individual is thought to be able to perceive his or her own best interests; they act so as to gain pleasure or happiness in whatever way they choose.’ (Heywood, A 2003, p48)This is something that can be a win-win. ‘By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectively than when he really tries to promote it.’ (Smith Wealth ex. 6) So self-interest is a kind of catalytic of improving society to a great extent in this case. ‘In principle, individuals always seek their own economic advantage; and, in principle, they act strictly rationally to achieve this goal.’ (Skirbekk, G Gilje, N 2001, p 250) Smith call this the law of natural which is free competition actually, this invisible hand is a kind of power which make the market fairer. It is important to make a division of labor in the market; I think the competition is the direct reason which causes this phenomenon. ‘It is the necessary, though very slow and gradual, consequence of a certain tendency in human nature which has in view no such ultimate outcome; [this is] the tendency to deal, barter, and exchange one thing for another.’ (Smith Wealth ex. 1) Smith thought it is the division of labor that increases the productivity. Everyone can just accomplish his part of job; he can focus on his own business. There is an idiom called practice makes perfect, so the efficiency of the whole market must be improved. It is a kind of exchange, just as Smith said: ‘give me that which I want, and you shall have what you want. That is the meaning of every such offer†¦. we expect our dinner, but from their concern for their own interest.’ (Inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations extracts 6). People always have much more inter est in their own business than the society profits. ‘It was the conduct of individual human beings that led us into this mess, and it is the behavior of individuals as well as the structuring of systems that has to change.’(Garton Ash 2014) So as we can find from here it is self-interest that motivate people to work; to do those economic activities. Moreover, what is the simplest method to reach this boundary? Smith thought is the freedom and non-interventionism. It doesn’t mean no-government, their function is limited to the administration of justice, and they are night watchman. ‘He attacked economic protectionism: the government should meddle as little as possible in trade and industry.’ (Skirbekk, G Gilje, N 2001, p 249) So Smith strongly recommended creating a free-market. ‘In an ideal free market resting on private property, no individual can coerce any other, all cooperation is voluntary, all parties to such cooperation benefit or they need not participate.’ (Friedman 2014, pp. 122-126). He opposed the state intervention in the economy, because he thought the market will automatically adjust. This is what he called ‘the invisible hand’, it will help people maximum their own profits and the society will make progress with individuals in the meantime. So it can make a combine b etween self-interest and public-interest. When the businessmen work hard to do their own business this ‘invisible hand’ will let them to choose the best-fit for the society. This is also help other is help ourselves. ‘Altruism is relegated to no more than delayed self-interest, so, for example, the more we create a good reputation, the more we can exploit it for economic advantage.’ (Hutton Schneider 2014, pp. 13-17.) So as the analyses I have presented above, we can clearly find that self-interest is the necessary and sufficient condition of our society’s thriving and prosperous. The better market can’t leave self-interest, which means they can’t exist without each other. Smith described that the conflict between self-interest and public-interest can be solved by combining them. They made each other! Thus if everyone can motivated by their self-interest, they will try them best to acquire the profits, which can motivate our society’s economy and make the market much more efficient and fairer ultimately.

The Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson Essay -- Mrs. Ma

The Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson In â€Å"A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson,† Mary Rowlandson, a Puritan mother from Lancaster, Massachusetts, recounts the invasion of her town by Indians in 1676 during â€Å"King Philip’s War,† when the Indians attempted to regain their tribal lands. She describes the period of time where she is held under captivity by the Indians, and the dire circumstances under which she lives. During these terrible weeks, Mary Rowlandson deals with the death of her youngest child, the absence of her Christian family and friends, the terrible conditions that she must survive, and her struggle to maintain her faith in God. She also learns how to cope with the Indians amongst whom she lives, which causes her attitude towards them to undergo several changes. At first, she is utterly appalled by their lifestyle and actions, but as time passes she grows dependent upon them, and by the end of her captivity, she almost admires their abil ity to survive the harshest times with a very minimal amount of possessions and resources. Despite her growing awe of the Indian lifestyle, her attitude towards them always maintains a view that they are the â€Å"enemy.† In the beginning of the narrative, Mary Rowlandson describes the manner in which the Indians invade her home, kill many of her friends, and drag her away from her husband and two children. She watches as the â€Å"murderous Wretches [burn] and [destroy]† her home before her eyes. It is the â€Å"dolefullest day that [her] eyes have ever [seen].† At this point in time, Mary has no knowledge of the Indian lifestyle, or even of their motive for ravaging the land of the colonists. She sees them merely as merciless heathens who come from Satan. Mary writes that before the incident, she said that if â€Å"the Indians should come, [she] should choose rather to be killed by them then [be] taken alive,†(124) but when that choice actually comes to her, she chooses to go with them, despite her unwillingness. At this point, she puts her life into the Indians’ hands. Once they leave the town, Mary and the Indians begin a series of â€Å"removes,† or moves to di fferent areas of the New England wilderness. Mary describes the celebration rituals of the Indians, where they dance and chant, and â€Å"[make] the place a lively resemblance of hell!† Their unchristian lifestyle... ...en she goes home to her family and friends, her attitude toward Indians in general changes greatly. At first, living with Indians is the most appalling thought that she could ever have. Over time, she realizes that she must somewhat befriend them in order to survive adequately. In the end, she even appreciates the Indians, and the experiences she has had with them. Her captivity also brings her closer to God, because during every hardship, she turns to her faith to help her through it. Her time with the Indians also gave her the affliction that she had always hoped for. Mary lived in prosperity before, and had too many comforts of the world around her. The journeys with the Indians give her a kind of reality check, because she sees that not everyone lives in prosperity as she did. The biggest lesson that she learns is to â€Å"look beyond present and smaller troubles, and be quieted under them, as Moses said, Exodus.xiv.13, Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.† Work Cited Rowlandson, Mary. A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.In Women’s Indian Captivity Narratives. Ed. Kathryn Zabelle Derounian-Stodola. New York: Penguin Books, 1998.

Historical Vacation in Nevada Essay

At present, Nevada is one of the largest and the best states in the U. S. Visiting this state simply means not finding a shortage of action. Nevada is one of the only places in the States where it is possible to perform morning ski world-class runs and afternoon world-class green walks. Nevada is also famous for Tahoe Rim Trail, Truckee River, Sand Mountain, and world-class shows and dines and world-famous casino and resorts. Aside from these, Nevada is also a state rich in culture and history. This is the reason why with my time machine, I decided to visit Nevada with my History professor. I chose to visit Nevada with my History professor because I thought that he is the best person who can help me understand special places and people in this state. However, with so many periods and so many places to explore, I asked my History professor, where should we begin? Historical Vacation in Nevada I had quite a long discussion with my professor about the places, period, and events to visit. After a long discussion, we both agreed to take my time machine and go back to the 19th century where some of the famous Nevadans, in the field of politics and arts, existed. For our first destination, my professor asked me to set my time machine to the 19th century. With a wink of an eye, we landed on a very beautiful place. I was very surprised to see mansions, 19th century houses, imported furniture, stylish fashion which seem to have come from the Orient and Europe. I had the impression that this place was a very boisterous town. I asked my professor if he knows this place. At first, he didn’t have any idea until we saw gold in the hills and dollars being made. I saw my professor’s eyes widened while saying â€Å"We are in Virginia City, Nevada! † We walked around the beautiful town and we saw a man walking on the street. My professor’s face brightened up and he told me that this man is a very important man in the history. I looked at the man’s face and realized that I saw it once in one of my history books. I suddenly remembered; this man is none other than William Morris Stewart! My professor explained that Mr. William Morris Stewart was one of the participants in the mining litigation in Virginia City, Nevada in 1860. He also helped and played a big role in the Comstock Lode’s development. Nevada became a state in 1864 and Mr. Stewart helped in the development of the State’s constitution (Smith, 1943). However, his role in the state as a politician and lawyer had always been very controversial. He was accused by his opponents of bribing juries and judges (Plazak, 2006). Despite this, Mr. Stewart was still elected as a Republican in the United States Senate in 1864 and served until 1875. He was again elected to the United States Senate in 1887 and was reelected in 1893 and again in 1899. During his term in the Senate, Mr. Stewart co-authored or drafted important legislation, including land reclamation laws and mining acts. However, he became famous for authoring the 15th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1868. This amendment promotes the protection of people’s voting rights regardless of color, race, or previous servitude condition. It was a great pleasure to learn about the contributions of Mr. William Morris Stewart but of course, it was really a great pleasure to experience visiting Virginia City. We went back to my time machine and went to a slightly different setting but also in the same period, the 19th century. When we landed, what I saw was not at all as beautiful as what I saw in Virginia City. I had the impression that we were in a ghost town. It was so dusty, hot, humid, and all I could smell was dust. I asked my professor where we were and he told me that were in Goldfield, one of the important cities of Nevada. I was surprised because it was so different from the Goldfield I know of during my time. While wandering in this ghost town-like place, we saw Mr. George Wingfield, the man behind the Nevada business mining camps. Once again, my History professor explained that Mr. Wingfield converted the useless mines of Nevada into great mines. He was one of the greatest organizers that put mining companies into operation (Time US, 1937). My professor further explained that Mr. Wingfield’s first mining venture in the State was in Golconda copper mines. It was a hard time for him as he was practically stripped off and had a gold fever but he was not discouraged. He was also the man behind the fight against the Western Federation of Miners and Industrial Workers of the World. These two organizations controlled the situations in the mine and George Wingfield was so determined to go against the orders and he succeeded, giving freedom to majority of miners in the mines. Again, it was a pleasure for me to know that Mr. George Wingfield was behind the success of Goldfield. For our last destination, my professor decided to go to early 20th century of Reno. I was so fascinated to see that Reno in the early 20th century was not at all so different from the Reno I know of. I was entertained by the peculiar neon marquees as they cast an outlandish nighttime glow on Nevada’s ever famous Truckee River. From a distance where my professor and I were standing, we could see the hotel towers as they punctuate the high-desert setting of the city between the arid Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada’s eastern slope. However, what I won’t forget about this early 20th century to Reno is my encounter with Mr. Robert Cole Naples, one of the famous painters of the USA. My professor and I agree that he had contributed a lot in the American art. References Smith, Grant. (1943). The History of the Comstock Lode. Univ. of Nevada Bulletin, 37(3), 69. Plazak. Dan. (2006). A Hole in the Ground with a Liar at the Top. Univ. of Utah Press 10: 0-87480-840-5, 26-27. Time US. (1937). King George. Retrieved 04 May 2009 from .

The Influence of Television and Technology in Society Essay

Is modernization the degradation of imagination; and thus, destroy what has been created in the past? It appears that with the advancement we have the privilege and opportunity to do things better but to what effect to human society? There appears to be a concern of moral and spiritual affect of what, and how we as society got to this point! Television has conveyed numerous adjustments to the way many people squander their leisure time. Some changes are beneficial; while others may be more poisonous to the mind. Television is so much more powerful because it is able to reach more people at one time. Society also reflects what is publicized on television in various areas, as well as ways. Many individuals have turned their routines in†¦show more content†¦I think television brings the most negative effect because it puts a burden on family values, and can lead to behavioral problem and social as well. What happen to do the days when children were outside playing from sun up t o sun down enjoying the scenery of nature? Previously, families set down together at their kitchen table said grace, and had a nutritious meal. There was no television present in the kitchen, and the members at the table would sit down and talk about how each others day went. It was a time reserved were family members bonded with each other, and family times like these where valued at the most importance. Television has moved families so far from this that now we eat in separate rooms, and sometimes go the hold day without having a simple conversation. It is sad that it has come to this! It is clear to say that television may be the cause of why some families are so troubled, because of the lack of family togetherness. The obsession of television has put a decline on family morals. Family has always been the essence of family morals as well as values, but time spent with family has declined over the years; because of so much time spent watching television, and other technology produ cts. However, dinner where families communicated about different topics have become replaced with television and the media seems to be the one teaching family moral, and values. Al Gore once said â€Å"We’re strip- mining our children’s minds and we’re doing it for commercialShow MoreRelatedWhy Television Is The Extension Of Human Senses Along With Walter Benjamins Reproduction Of Art1346 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction In this day and age, television is seen as the most useful technology in the world where we get enough information, entertainment and knowledge. People believe that it is more preferable to have a television rather than to watch a live play in the theatre due to the freedom of relaxation and high level of participation. 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