~ 1759 ~
The Theory of Moral Sentiments, written in 1759 by Adam Smith, provides the philosophical, ethical, and methodological underpinnings to Smith's later works. The book departs from the "moral sense" tradition of Smith's contemporaries by replacing it with the principle of sympathy, which is defined as the feeling with the passions of others. Smith argues that people have a natural tendency to care about the well-being of others. He proposes that mutual sympathy of negative emotions is necessary for friendship. The book also establishes the idea that man is capable of forming moral judgments within a limited sphere of activity centered around his own self-interest.