Jared Khan. Midterm Post (Part 1 of 3). Section 11

Adam smith is one of the most significant and influential men in history. He was born on June 5, 1723 at Kirkcaldy. After his father died only two months before his birth, he had a close connection to his mother. Adam smith had some crazy moments in his life including being kidnapped when he was an infant. However, he was eventually rescued. He attended the University of Glasgow when he was at the age of 14. Here at this college, he studied for three years and was deeply influenced by Francis Hutcheson. Smith received his Bachelor of Arts degree at the Balliol College in oxford where he spent nearly seven years. Later he would move back to Kirkcaldy to spend time studying and giving lectures. He would eventually become the professor of logic and moral philosophy at the University of Glasgow.

Eleven years after he would meet David Hume, he would write one of his most influential works, known as the “Theory of Moral Sentiments”. The main theme of this work had to do with the idea that moral principles have a social feeling or sympathy that lies as their foundation. Smith described sympathy as a common human feeling that one may experience towards another person. He stated that this feeling is due to a person’s idea of what this other person is having to confront in their life, and not so much with the emotions that we see the other person express. Adam Smith said that usually when someone has sympathy for someone it requires that person to understand the cause of the emotion that the other person is experiencing. Smith says that when making decisions and judgments, people should learn to be impartial and unbiased.

Adam Smith also wrote “The Wealth of Nations” which is his most well-known work. He published this work in 1776. It is a combination of various topics including descriptions, recommendations, and historical accounts. Smith in this book discusses Capitalism which coincides with free trade and the positive benefits that come from it. Free trade supports the supply and demand market which we are all accustomed to.