Adam Smith A Very Short Introduction

Adam Smith A Very Short Introduction Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle version is available to download in english. Read online anytime anywhere directly from your device. Click on the download button below to get a free pdf file of Adam Smith A Very Short Introduction book. This book definitely worth reading, it is an incredibly well-written.

Adam Smith

Christopher J. Berry
Adam Smith Book PDF

Author : Christopher J. Berry
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 153 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2018
Category : Economics
ISBN : 9780198784456

Get Book

Adam Smith by Christopher J. Berry Pdf

In 1776 Adam Smith (1723-90) wrote The Wealth of Nations, a book so foundational that it has led to him being called the father of economics. Today he is associated with the promotion of self-interest, a defense of greed and a criticism of any governmental 'interference' in market transactions which, if left to the 'invisible hand', will produce prosperity and liberty. Yet if Smith is actually read these associations are more a caricature than a faithful portrait. In this Very Short Introduction, Christopher Berry offers a balanced and nuanced view of this seminal thinker, embedding his fierce defense of free trade, competition, and assault on special interests in contemporary European history, politics, and philosophy. As Berry explores, Smith was more than an economist. His book The Theory of Moral Sentiment, offered a complex account of ethics in the context of human social behavior. His scope as a professor at the University of Glasgow, a major center of the Scottish Enlightenment, was extensive. Beyond courses in philosophy and jurisprudence he also gave classes covering history, literature, and language. In addition to his two major works he also wrote a pioneering study of the history of astronomy as an illustration of the motivations that drive humans to seek answers to questions. He produced, again derived from his Glasgow classroom, an analysis of the development of grammar and language. As Christopher Berry shows, Adam Smith was no narrow thinker, but rather one who produced not only one of the greatest books in the history of social science, but also a wide-ranging body of work that remains significant today. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Complexity

John Henry Holland
Complexity Book PDF

Author : John Henry Holland
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 121 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2014
Category : History
ISBN : 9780199662548

Get Book

Complexity by John Henry Holland Pdf

In this very short introduction, John Holland presents an introduction to the science of complexity. Using examples from biology and economics, he shows how complexity science models the behaviour of complex systems.

Adam Smith and the Classics

Gloria Vivenza
Adam Smith and the Classics Book PDF

Author : Gloria Vivenza
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 254 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2001-11-01
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780191522734

Get Book

Adam Smith and the Classics by Gloria Vivenza Pdf

Adam Smith and the Classics analyses the influence of classical culture—-the work of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and the Stoics—-on Adam Smith's thought. Vivenza bases her arguments on elements of Smith's work that can be shown to be precise reflections of passages from the classical authors, and on Smith's own acknowledgements that he was so influenced. The bulk of the classical nuances occur in Smith's moral and natural philosophy, but Vivenza also shows that the classics had some impact on his economic thought. The book represents a complete survey of all Adam Smith's writings, and is organized by arguments: natural philosophy, moral philosophy, jurisprudence, topics of economic interest, and literature. A further chapter discusses the very recent consensus among a number of scholars that Smith's writings display strong elements of Stoicism. Adam Smith and the Classics is a significant book, since it shows just how strong an impression the classical training had on the intellectual elite of the eighteenth century. So much so that the classics have left their mark on the scholarship and writings of the time.

Hume: A Very Short Introduction

Alfred Ayer
Hume A Very Short Introduction Book PDF

Author : Alfred Ayer
Publisher : Oxford Paperbacks
Page : 142 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2000-10-12
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780192854063

Get Book

Hume: A Very Short Introduction by Alfred Ayer Pdf

Overview. History of ideas; philosophical.

Adam Smith

Eric Schliesser
Adam Smith Book PDF

Author : Eric Schliesser
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 433 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 2017
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780190690120

Get Book

Adam Smith by Eric Schliesser Pdf

Eric Schliesser's Adam Smith is the product of two decades' reflection by the author on the great Scottish Enlightenment. Unique among treatments of Adam Smith, Schliesser's book treats him as a systematic philosopher. Smith was a giant of the Scottish Enlightenment with polymath interests; Schliesser thus explores Smith's economics and ethics in light of his other commitments on the nature of knowledge, the theory of emotions, the theory of mind, his account of language, the nature of causation, and his views on methodology. He places Smith's ideas in the context of a host of other philosophers, especially Hume, Rousseau, and Newton; and he draws on the reception of Smith's ideas by Sophie de Grouchy, Mary Wollstonecraft, and other philosophers and economists to sketch the elements of, and the detailed connections within, Smith's system. Adam Smith traces the outlines of Smith's intellectual system and situates it in the context of his highly developed views on the norms that govern responsible speech. In particular, the book articulates Smith's concerns about the impact of his public policy recommendations, especially on the least powerful in society. In so doing, Schliesser offers new interpretations of Smith's views on the invisible hand, the Wealth of Nations, his treatment of virtue, the nature of freedom, the individual's relationship to society, his account of the passions, the moral roles of religion, and his treatment of the role of mathematics in economics. While the book does offer a single argument, it is organized in a modular fashion and includes a helpful index; readers with a more focused interest in Smith's achievements can skip to their section of interest.

Inventing the Market

Lisa Herzog
Inventing the Market Book PDF

Author : Lisa Herzog
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 195 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2013-04-25
Category : History
ISBN : 9780199674176

Get Book

Inventing the Market by Lisa Herzog Pdf

Inventing the Market explores two paradigms of the market in the thought of Adam Smith and G.W.F. Hegel, bridging the gap between economics and philosophy, it shows that both disciplines can profit from a broader, more historically situated approach to the market.

Environmental Economics: A Very Short Introduction

Stephen Smith
Environmental Economics A Very Short Introduction Book PDF

Author : Stephen Smith
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 152 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2011-09-22
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780191620294

Get Book

Environmental Economics: A Very Short Introduction by Stephen Smith Pdf

If environmental protection is costly, how much should we spend on pollution control? Is it worth reducing pollution to zero, or should we accept some level of pollution because of the economic benefits associated with it? How can we assess the benefits that people get from a less-polluted atmosphere? In broad terms, environmental economics looks at how economic activity and policy affect the environment in which we live. Some production generates pollution, such as power station emissions causing acid rain and contributing to global warming, but household consumption decisions also affect the environment, where more consumption can mean more waste sent to polluting incinerators. However, pollution is not an inevitable consequence of economic activity - environmental policies can require polluting firms to clean up their emissions, and can encourage people to change their behaviour, through environmental taxes on polluting goods, for example. Generally, though, these measures will involve some costs, such as installing pollution control equipment. So there's a trade-off: a cleaner environment, but economic costs. In recent years, many economists have argued for greater use of incentive in the form of pollution charges and emissions trading rather than more traditional direct regulation of polluters. In this Very Short Introduction, Stephen Smith discusses environmental issues including pollution control, reducing environmental damage, and global climate change policies, answering questions about how we should balance environmental and economic considerations, and what form government policies should take. Including many illustrative case studies and examples he shows that this is an exciting field of economics, and one that is at the heart of many public debates and controversies. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Adam Smith: A Very Short Introduction

Christopher J. Berry
Adam Smith A Very Short Introduction Book PDF

Author : Christopher J. Berry
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 153 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2018-10-18
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780191087295

Get Book

Adam Smith: A Very Short Introduction by Christopher J. Berry Pdf

In 1776 Adam Smith (1723-90) wrote The Wealth of Nations , a book so foundational it has led to him being called the 'father of economics'. Today he is associated with the promotion of self-interest, a defence of greed and a criticism of any governmental 'interference' in market transactions which, if left to the 'invisible hand', will produce prosperity and liberty. Yet if Smith is actually read these associations are more a caricature than a faithful portrait. In this Very Short Introduction, Christopher Berry offers a balanced and nuanced view of this seminal thinker, embedding his fierce defence of free trade, competition, and assault on special interests in contemporary European history, politics, and philosophy. As Berry explores, Smith was far more than an economist. His book The Theory of Moral Sentiment, offered a complex account of ethics in the context of human social behaviour. His scope as a professor at the University of Glasgow, a major centre of the Scottish Enlightenment, was extensive. Beyond courses in philosophy and jurisprudence he also gave classes covering history, literature, and language. In addition to his two major works he also wrote a pioneering study of the history of astronomy as an illustration of the motivations that drive humans to seek answers to questions. He produced, again derived from his Glasgow classroom, an analysis of the development of grammar and language. As Christopher Berry shows, Adam Smith was no narrow thinker, but rather one who produced not only one of the greatest books in the history of social science, but also a wide-ranging body of work that remains significant today. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Adam Smith: An Enlightened Life

Nicholas T. Phillipson
Adam Smith An Enlightened Life Book PDF

Author : Nicholas T. Phillipson
Publisher : Yale University Press
Page : 311 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2010-10-05
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9780300174434

Get Book

Adam Smith: An Enlightened Life by Nicholas T. Phillipson Pdf

Nicholas Phillipson's intellectual biography of Adam Smith shows that Smith saw himself as philosopher rather than an economist. Phillipson shows Smith's famous works were a part of a larger scheme to establish a "Science of Man," which was to encompass law, history, and aesthetics as well as economics and ethics. Phillipson explains Adam Smith's part in the rapidly changing intellectual and commercial cultures of Glasgow and Edinburgh at the time of the Scottish Enlightenment. Above all Phillipson explains how far Smith's ideas developed in dialog with his closest friend David Hume. --Publisher's description.

The Enlightenment

John Robertson
The Enlightenment Book PDF

Author : John Robertson
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 169 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2015
Category : Electronic books
ISBN : 9780199591787

Get Book

The Enlightenment by John Robertson Pdf

This introduction explores the history of the 18th-century Enlightenment movement. Considering its intellectual commitments, Robertson then turns to their impact on society, and the ways in which Enlightenment thinkers sought to further the goal of human betterment, by promoting economic improvement and civil and political justice.

Adam Smith

Ryan Patrick Hanley
Adam Smith Book PDF

Author : Ryan Patrick Hanley
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 600 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 2016-01-12
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781400873487

Get Book

Adam Smith by Ryan Patrick Hanley Pdf

Adam Smith (1723–90) is perhaps best known as one of the first champions of the free market and is widely regarded as the founding father of capitalism. From his ideas about the promise and pitfalls of globalization to his steadfast belief in the preservation of human dignity, his work is as relevant today as it was in the eighteenth century. Here, Ryan Hanley brings together some of the world's finest scholars from across a variety of disciplines to offer new perspectives on Smith’s life, thought, and enduring legacy. Contributors provide succinct and accessible discussions of Smith’s landmark works and the historical context in which he wrote them, the core concepts of Smith’s social vision, and the lasting impact of Smith’s ideas in both academia and the broader world. They reveal other sides of Smith beyond the familiar portrayal of him as the author of the invisible hand, emphasizing his deep interests in such fields as rhetoric, ethics, and jurisprudence. Smith emerges not just as a champion of free markets but also as a thinker whose unique perspective encompasses broader commitments to virtue, justice, equality, and freedom. An essential introduction to Adam Smith’s life and work, this incisive and thought-provoking book features contributions from leading figures such as Nicholas Phillipson, Amartya Sen, and John C. Bogle. It demonstrates how Smith’s timeless insights speak to contemporary concerns such as growth in the developing world and the future of free trade, and how his influence extends to fields ranging from literature and philosophy to religion and law.

Neoliberalism: A Very Short Introduction

Manfred B. Steger,Ravi K. Roy
Neoliberalism A Very Short Introduction Book PDF

Author : Manfred B. Steger,Ravi K. Roy
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 169 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2010-01-21
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780199560516

Get Book

Neoliberalism: A Very Short Introduction by Manfred B. Steger,Ravi K. Roy Pdf

In its heyday in the late 1990s, neoliberalism emerged as the world's dominant economic paradigm. But the global financial crisis of 2008-9 fundamentally shocked a globalized economy built on neoliberal assumptions. This VSI examines the origins, core claims, and considerable variations of neoliberalism with examples from around the world.

Voltaire: A Very Short Introduction

Nicholas Cronk
Voltaire A Very Short Introduction Book PDF

Author : Nicholas Cronk
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 144 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2017-02-10
Category : Literary Criticism
ISBN : 9780191512766

Get Book

Voltaire: A Very Short Introduction by Nicholas Cronk Pdf

Voltaire (1694-1778), best remembered as the author of Candide, is one of the central actors — arguably the defining personality — of the European Enlightenment. In this Very Short Introduction, Nicholas Cronk explores Voltaire's remarkable career and demonstrates how his thinking is pivotal to our notion and understanding of the Enlightenment. In a fresh and modern examination of his writings, Cronk examines the nature of Voltaire's literary celebrity, demonstrating the extent to which his work was reactive and practical, and therefore made sense within the broader context of the debates to which he responded. The most famous living author in Europe in the 18th century, Cronk emphasises Voltaire's skills of 'performance' as a writer and his continued relevance today. He concludes by looking not only at Voltaire's impact in literature and philosophy, but also his influence on French political values and modern French politics. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The Problems and Promise of Commercial Society

Dennis C. Rasmussen
The Problems and Promise of Commercial Society Book PDF

Author : Dennis C. Rasmussen
Publisher : Penn State Press
Page : 188 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2015-11-04
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780271076041

Get Book

The Problems and Promise of Commercial Society by Dennis C. Rasmussen Pdf

Adam Smith is popularly regarded as the ideological forefather of laissez-faire capitalism, while Rousseau is seen as the passionate advocate of the life of virtue in small, harmonious communities and as a sharp critic of the ills of commercial society. But, in fact, Smith had many of the same worries about commercial society that Rousseau did and was strongly influenced by his critique. In this first book-length comparative study of these leading eighteenth-century thinkers, Dennis Rasmussen highlights Smith’s sympathy with Rousseau’s concerns and analyzes in depth the ways in which Smith crafted his arguments to defend commercial society against these charges. These arguments, Rasmussen emphasizes, were pragmatic in nature, not ideological: it was Smith’s view that, all things considered, commercial society offered more benefits than the alternatives. Just because of this pragmatic orientation, Smith’s approach can be useful to us in assessing the pros and cons of commercial society today and thus contributes to a debate that is too much dominated by both dogmatic critics and doctrinaire champions of our modern commercial society.

The Impartial Spectator

D. D. Raphael
The Impartial Spectator Book PDF

Author : D. D. Raphael
Publisher : Clarendon Press
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2007-01-25
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780191526640

Get Book

The Impartial Spectator by D. D. Raphael Pdf

D. D. Raphael provides a critical account of the moral philosophy of Adam Smith, presented in his first book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Whilst it does not have the same prominence in its field as his work on economics, The Wealth of Nations, Smith's writing on ethics is of continuing importance and interest today, especially for its theory of conscience. Smith sees the origin of conscience in the sympathetic and antipathetic feelings of spectators. As spectators of the actions of other people, we can imagine how we would feel in their situation. If we would share their motives, we approve of their action. If not, we disapprove. When we ourselves take an action, we know from experience what spectators would feel, approval or disapproval. That knowledge forms conscience, an imagined impartial spectator who tells us whether an action is right or wrong. In describing the content of moral judgement, Smith is much influenced by Stoic ethics, with an emphasis on self-command, but he voices criticism as well as praise. His own position is a combination of Stoic and Christian values. There is a substantial difference between the first five editions of the Moral Sentiments and the sixth. Failure to take account of this has led some commentators to mistaken views about the supposed youthful idealism of the Moral Sentiments as contrasted with the mature realism of The Wealth of Nations. A further source of error has been the supposition that Smith treats sympathy as the motive of moral action, as contrasted with the supposedly universal motive of self-interest in The Wealth of Nations.