Our Great Purpose

Adam Smith is better known for his book Wealth of Nations, but here the author reminds us of the importance of his other key work, Theory of Moral Sentiments and his interest in how to live a good and reflective life, evoking both wisdom and virtue. There are 39 short chapters, each of which begins with 'On' - On Caring for Others, On Imagination, On Friendship, On Loving, On Flourishing, On Humility and Beneficence, then, at the end On Socrates, Jesus, Hume and God. At the beginning there is a quote, which the author then compresses to a maxim. I liked Smith's notion of tranquil enjoyment, especially applied to friendship and reciprocity in terms of mutual love and affection. He speaks of flourishing rather than just subsisting, adding that the best life - that of a wise and virtuous person - is good for both self and others and dedicated to bettering the condition of others. This leads to Smith's paradox, going beyond Wealth of Nations: 'by sacrificing our interests we realise a deeper self-interest.' Smith himself adds that 'the man who acts solely from a regard to what is right and fit to be done…acts from the most sublime and godlike motive which human nature is even capable of conceiving.' In this regard, the nobility of self-command in both Socrates and Hume is inspiring as examples of wisdom informing virtue and the shaping of 'an excellent and praiseworthy character.' These perennial themes have lost none of their relevance, making the book an essential text of practical wisdom.