Description
On Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations reflects its author's long and reflective engagement with Smith's thought. There is much in the book that readers of Smith will find useful and indeed indispensable. Many of Smith's perspectives are reformulated with exemplary clarity; key puzzles in his oeuvre are puzzled out more successfully than by past commentators; and many a scholarly misinterpretation is set aright. Moreover, Fleischacker's emphasis on Smith's egalitarianism will prove controversial, and should stimulate discussion about what Smith meant in his own day and what he might mean to us. -- Jerry Z. Muller, Catholic University of America Until now, nobody has published a truly philosophical, let alone comprehensive and philosophical, commentary on Smith's great work of political economy. This beautifully written book fills this important niche. Samuel Fleischacker is a gifted writer; he often finds just the right turn of phrase, and the right combination of technical prose and informal tone, to communicate his point with maximum effectiveness. -- Charles L. Griswold, Jr., Professor of Philosophy at Boston University and author of "Adam Smith and the Virtues of the Enlightenment"
About the Author
Samuel Fleischacker is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago. His books include "A Short History of Distributive"
Reviews
Winner of the 2009 Joseph B. Gittler Award, American Philosophical Association "In my opinion, all readers interested in Adam Smith's project and/or the modern Post-Smithian notion of distributive justice, should have access to this book, so they can study this important, provocative contribution to the understanding of Smith's conception of justice."--Spencer J. Pack, EH.NET "[A]n enlightening guide to the philosophical component of the Wealth of Nations and its relation to Smith's other works. [This] is ... an exceptionally good book."--D. D. Raphael, British Journal for the History of Philosophy "Fleischacker ... has a sure philosophical grasp of Smith's ideas. He uses this to great effect, presenting what is the first rigorous philosophical commentary on the Wealth of Nations in English, of which I am aware."--Duncan Kelly, Political Studies Review "There is no question that Fleischacker has produced a landmark study of Adam Smith's works. His handling of philosophical issues is subtle and suggestive; and in probing 'the virtues that lie within and just beyond the frame of Wealth of Nations', Fleischacker provides new philosophical resources for the debate about the fundamental relation between Wealth of Nations and Smith's larger philosophical project."--Vivienne Brown, Eighteenth Century Scotland "Overall, this is a very useful book whether treated as a companion or, better, read straight through."--John Douglas Bishop, Philosophy in Review
Awards
Winner of American Psychological Foundation Joseph B. Gittler Award 2009.
Book Information
ISBN 9780691123905
Author Samuel Fleischacker
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Princeton University Press
Publisher Princeton University Press
Weight(grams) 510g