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This is an accepted version of this page This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 24 January 2025. Scottish economist and philosopher (1723–1790) This article is about the Scottish economist and philosopher. For other people named Adam Smith, see Adam Smith (disambiguation). Adam Smith FRS FRSE FRSA Posthumous Muir portrait, c. 1800 Born c. 16 June [O.S. c. 5 June] 1723 Kirkcaldy ...
The invisible hand is a metaphor inspired by the Scottish economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith that describes the incentives which free markets sometimes create for self-interested people to accidentally act in the public interest, even when this is not something they intended. Smith originally mentioned the term in two specific, but ...
In contrast to enlightened self-interest is simple greed, or the concept of "unenlightened self-interest", in which it is argued that when most or all persons act according to their own myopic selfishness, the group suffers loss as a result of conflict, decreased efficiency and productivity because of lack of cooperation, and the increased expense each individual pays for the protection of ...
Adam Smith focused on the role of enlightened self-interest (the "invisible hand") and the role of specialization in promoting the efficiency of capital accumulation. Ayn Rand defined capitalism as a social system based on the recognition of individual rights, including property rights, in which all property is privately owned, and called it ...
Smith continues by arguing that people feel pleasure from the presence of others with the same emotions as one's self, and displeasure in the presence of those with "contrary" emotions. Smith argues that this pleasure is not the result of self-interest: that others are more likely to assist oneself if they are in a similar emotional state.
Mark Blaug argues that it was Smith's achievement to shift the burden of proof against those maintaining that the pursuit of self-interest does not achieve social good. But he notes Smith's relevant attention to definite institutional arrangements and process as disciplining self-interest to widen the scope of the market, accumulate capital ...
Self-centeredness has been studied for centuries, with times of crisis known to pre-dispose us to selfish actions. The ‘age of selfishness’ is making us sick, single, and miserable.
Rational choice theory looks at three concepts: rational actors, self interest and the invisible hand. [4] Rationality can be used as an assumption for the behaviour of individuals in a wide range of contexts outside of economics. It is also used in political science, [5] sociology, [6] and philosophy. [7]