The Research On The Virtue Of Self-command In The Works Of Adam Smith

In modern society,with the development of material,people's desire for material expands and become more and more intemperate.The lack of self-command virtue causes lots of social problems,such as power abuse,overexploiting resources and environment,excessive consumption and etc,those problems may do harm to the normal society and development.And for the individuals,unrestrained to meet their own desires could make them always feel confused in their lives.Therefore,Adam Smith set prudent,kind,justice and self-command as the four virtues of mankind in his book “the theory of moral sentiments”,and the self-command is the premise of the other three virtues.The study of Adam Smith's self-command virtue is not only a practical significance to social problems,but also can help improve the individual' s own character.18th century is a glory of age of enlightenment in Britain,in which the influential moral emotionalism was born.In the history of Western ethics,traditional ethical philosophers argue that reason plays a leading role in the moral formation,neglected or rarely address emotional issues.Smith as an outstanding representative of the emotionalism,his thinking was not the result of his personal struggle,his thoughts are under the influence of a lot of famous philosophers.For example,Shaftesbury is the first people who point out moral sense theory.He agrees that emotion is the origin of morality.Francis Hutcheson point out inner senses,as well as outer senses,which is the source of moral value judgments,to perceived moral good and evil.Hume put forward the theory of sympathy,which is based on the Association of ideas.Smith absorbed the idea of Hume's theory of sympathy.Sympathy is not just a compassion for on the misfortunes,but also a joy for pleasure.But Adam Smith and David Hume have differences on sympathy.Hume thinks sympathy can strengthen the role of the raw passion of the parties,and Smith believe that in most cases,sympathy is the attenuation of the parties to the original passion.So,Smith produces different moral judgments and rational knowledge with Hume.Adam Smith's moral judgments are appropriate which is the core of self-command virtues,and Hume's moral judgments is joy and sad.By understanding the view of sympathy of Smith,generation of self-command and its core--appropriate,learn how to get self-command virtues and discuss relationships with other virtues,can guide us in real life.Adam Smith's self-command original meaning is to suppress excessive passion,maintain inner calm,emotional calm,and maintain social harmony.The main objects of "self-command" have two kinds: one is fear and anger,the second is comfort,enjoyment and praise.The goal of "self-control" is to seek appropriateness.Appropriateness is the control of passion in a reasonable and acceptable degree to people can realize the understanding and sympathy of others."Self-command" is a virtue necessary for virtue perfection and virtue appropriateness,and is the guarantee of guiding others to practise other virtues.A person who can possess the virtue of self-command,then,in any occasion,can control inappropriate emotions and behaviors,called as a "moral man."But Adam Smith's theory of virtue has limitations,he burned 18 of the huge volumes of manuscript in the two weeks before the death,absorbed in the revision of the sixth edition of the Theory of moral sentiment.Examining Adam Smith's sixth edition revision and supplement,found that Adam Smith's viewpoint was inconsistent with the earlier viewpoints,especially in the positive aspects of wealth.Adam Smith found that the businessman who once as the social hope had gradually changed mercenary,lack of public spirit and moral play,he feared that his own set of moral theory system may also go to another set of logic,to moral decay,so Smith in the sixth edition of "Moral sentiment theory" added to the sixth volume,on the quality of virtue and a large amount of space elaborated on the third chapter,on self-command,the virtue of self-command in any case is guided by the principle of appropriateness and the respect of the notary of the bystander to guide our behavior,guiding the fulfillment of the other three kinds of virtues.