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ADAM SMITH'S OPTIMISTIC TELEOLOGICAL VIEW OF HISTORY
Get PDFAdam Smith's four-stage theory provides the framework for his writings on history. The fourth stage is the commercial epoch; the culmination of history in this stage is a key component in the conventional interpretation of Adam Smith as a prophet of commercialism. In two historical case studies Smith shows the capacity of commercial society to regenerate itself. This potent capacity suggests that commercial society is inevitable. At a certain point in time it also overcomes the major obstacles to its permanence. Smith's philosophy of history anticipates the end of history views of Kant and Hegel.Political Economy,
ADAM SMITH'S VIEW OF HISTORY: CONSISTENT OR PARADOXICAL?
Get PDFThe conventional interpretation of Adam Smith is that he is a prophet of commercialism. The liberal capitalist reading of Smith is consistent with the view that history culminates in commercial society. The first part of the article develops this optimistic interpretation of Smith's view of history. Smith implies that commercial society is the end of history because 1) it supplies the ends of nature that he identifies; 2) it is inevitable; and 3) it is permanent. The second part of the article shows that Smith has some dark moments in his writings where he seems to reject completely such teleological notions. In this more civic humanist mood he confesses that commercial society does not supply the ends of nature, nor is it inevitable, nor is it permanent. Both views exist in Smith and the commentator is forced to choose between passages in Smith's work in order to support a particular interpretation of the former's view of history.Political Economy,
Adam Smith and Roman Servitudes
Get PDFThis essay is a preprint of an article that appeared at: Tijdschrift voor Rechstsgeschiedenis, 72 (2004), 327–57.This essay discusses Adam Smith historical jurisprudence and his use of Roman law materials in his Lectures on Jurisprudence. It argues that Smith found it difficult to maintain his theory of legal development in the face of a highly developed body of Roman law literature
THE THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF ADAM SMITH'S WORK
Get PDFThe paper will discuss the theological foundation to Smith's writings. Teleology, final causes and divine design were initially seen as central to understanding Smith's writings. Over time, this view fell out of fashion. In the period after World War II, with the rise of positivism, commentators tended to overlook or downplay this interpretation. In the last decade, or so, teleology has started to be restored to its former position as an essential element in understanding Smith. After spelling out Smith's teleology and his view of final causes, divine design and the ends of nature, we try to explain the Panglossian nature of the 'new theistic view' of Smith. While our view differs somewhat, we agree with the essence of the 'new view' claim: a theological view exists in Smith which underpins his moral and economic theories.Political Economy,
“Lusotopy as Ecumene”
Get PDFThis is an article about the concept of "ecumene" and how it can be used to describe the experience of people who are related to the long history of Portuguese expansion in numerous and diverse places around the globe. It deals with globalisation and argues against methodological nationalism in the study of postcoloniality
Dissolving the Chimera of the ‘Adam Smith Problem’
Get PDFIn The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith set out his influential theory that societies achieve prosperity by securing the freedom of individuals to pursue their own end by the means they choose within a framework of rules of justice. In his earlier work The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith developed his thesis about the origins of our moral sentiments and the emergence of rules of justice. The socalled ‘Adam Smith Problem’ concerns the perceived inconsistency between Smith’s defence of selfinterest in the Wealth of Nations and his emphasis of sympathy as the origin of moral sentiments in the earlier work. The existence of the ‘Adam Smith Problem’ has been contested by many writers. The present author provides a number of new arguments to demonstrate the illusory nature of the problem by revisiting the key elements Smith’s moral theory. The author argues that the problem dissolves when the role of justice in providing the conditions of free trade is understood. Smith’s tirade against wealth worship is explained as part of his defence of justice and not a condemnation of wealth accumulation. According to this reading, the Theory of Moral Sentiments is a powerful statement of the moral basis of capitalism.
To Which Is Prefixed, An Account of the Life and Writings of the Author
No full textBy The late Adam Smith, LL. D. Fellow Of The Royal Societies Of London And Edinburgh, &c. &c.. To Which Is Prefixed, An Account of the Life and Writings of the Author / By Dugald Stewart, F.R.S.E.Dieses Werk wurde von Johann Jakob Thurneysen IV (oder eventuell auch von Wilhelm Haas Sohn) gedruckt, und ein Teil der Auflage von Thurneysen, ein Teil von (Georg) Jakob Decker verkauftAuf vorderem Spiegel Etikette: "Burckhardt-Gemuseus" 21.10.2020/A100/HPFAuf vorderem Spiegel Etikette: "Universitäts Bibliothek in Basel - Geschenk", darunter hs. ergänzt: "der Erben des Herrn J.J. Stehlin, 1894." 21.10.2020/A100/HP
A Computational Investigation into the Authorship of Sister Peg
Get PDFThis article engages with the longstanding debate over the authorship of the Scottish Militia pamphlet Sister Peg (1761). While previous evidence is born out of rigorous historical research, a debate remains between whether Adam Ferguson or David Hume was the author. This article uses computational stylometry to statistically investigate this question, with the aim of complementing existing historical evidence rather than overturning it. In doing this it concludes that the work was not written solely by David Hume and, instead, Adam Ferguson is likely to be the sole author or there was a more complicated history of co-authorship
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Protein coding transcription and control of vsp gene expression in the protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia
No full textGiardia lamblia is an early branching eukaryote and although distinctly eukaryotic in its cell and molecular biology, transcription in G. lamblia demonstrates important differences from these processes in higher eukaryotes. α-amanitin is a relatively selective inhibitor of eukaryotic RNA Polymerase II (RNAP II), and is commonly used to study RNAP II transcription. Therefore, we measured the sensitivity of G. lamblia RNAP II transcription to α-amanitin and found that unlike most other eukaryotes, RNAP II transcription in Giardia is resistant to 1 mg/ml amanitin. To better understand transcription in G. lamblia, we identified 10 out of the 12 known eukaryotic rph genes, including all ten that are required for viability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The amanitin motif (amanitin binding site) of Rpbl from G. lamblia differs from other eukaryotes at six highly conserved sites in which substitutions have been associated with amanitin resistance in other organisms. These observations of amanitin resistance provide a molecular framework for the development of novel drugs with selective activity against G. lamblia. Giardia trophozoites exhibit antigenic variation of a surface protein encoded by a family of genes known as the vsp genes. A single trophozoite expresses only one vsp at a time and it has been previously determined that steady state mRNA of only the expressed vsp is detectable in Northern blots. Our nuclear run-on assays indicated transcription of only the expressed vsp genes, suggesting that control is primarily at the level of transcription rather than post-transcription. In order to better understand vsp gene control mechanisms, we used a luciferase reporter to determine the vsp core promoter, which is present within 100 bp upstream of the ORF in the case of vspCS and vspA6. The fact that the vsp promoter is able to drive expression irrespective of the antigenic variant type indicates that control requires a chromosomal context as do most epigenetic mechanisms of control. Based on the existing data, we provide a privileged site model for the control of vsp gene expression, in which vsp transcription takes place in a set nuclear location which is occupied by a singe vsp locus at a time
To Which Is Prefixed, An Account of the Life and Writings of the Author
No full textBy The late Adam Smith, LL. D. Fellow Of The Royal Societies Of London And Edinburgh, &c. &c.. To Which Is Prefixed, An Account of the Life and Writings of the Author / By Dugald Stewart, F.R.S.E.Bis auf das Impressum und das nur hier vorhandene Zwischentitelblatt für den "Account ..." satzgleich wie die Ausgabe von 1800, also mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit vom selben Drucker (Johann Jakob Thurneysen IV? Wilhelm Haas Sohn?) gedrucktZum Drucker: Germann scheint anzunehmen, dass das Werk von Johann Jakob Thurneysen IV gedruckt wurde (was eine Kooperation von Thurneysen u. Jakob Decker bedeuten würde); falls es sich beim "Editor of the Collection of English Classics" jedoch um Johann Lucas Legrand handeln sollte (und nicht um Thurneysen selbst?), könnte er auch aus Wilhelm Haas' (Sohn) Werkstatt stammen (die Zusammenarbeit von Thurneysen u. Legrand wurde 1791 beendet und Legrand liess danach bei Haas drucken)Keine eigene Nummer bei Germann (nur unter der Ausgabe von 1800, WV Nr. 96, erwähnt
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