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Adam Smith and Three Theories of Altruism

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  • Elias L. KHALIL

    (American Institute for Economic Research, and Department of Economics, Vassar College)

Abstract

Smith advanced a particular view of altruism that should prove to be relevant to the modem literature on the subject. It provided the back-bone of his critique of three different theories. These three theories have been reincarnated in three modem approaches : Robert Axelrod's "egoistic", Gary Becker's "egocentric", and George Herbert Mead and Robert Frank's "altercentric" views. Axelrod's approach repeats the failing, which Smith found in Mandeville's. Becker's theory echoes the shorteoming, which Smith identified in Hobbes'. Mead/Prank's view duplicates the fault, which Smith uncovered in the approach of Francis Hutcheson and other figures of the Scottish Enlightenment.

Suggested Citation

  • Elias L. KHALIL, 2001. "Adam Smith and Three Theories of Altruism," Discussion Papers (REL - Recherches Economiques de Louvain) 2001044, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    • Handle: RePEc:ctl:louvre:2001044
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bergstrom, Theodore C, 1995. "On the Evolution of Altruistic Ethical Rules for Siblings," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 85(1), pages 58-81, March.
    2. Khalil, Elias L., 1999. "Sentimental fools: a critique of Amartya Sen's notion of commitment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 373-386, December.
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    6. Etzioni, Amitai, 1986. "The Case for a Multiple-Utility Conception," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(2), pages 159-184, October.
    7. Elias L. Khalil, 2000. "orignal paper: Beyond natural selection and divine intervention: The Lamarckian implication of Adam Smith's invisible hand," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 10(4), pages 373-393.
    8. Becker, Gary S, 1976. "Altruism, Egoism, and Genetic Fitness: Economics and Sociobiology," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 817-826, September.
    9. Khalil, Elias L., 1996. "Respect, admiration, aggrandizement: Adam Smith as economic psychologist," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 555-577, November.
    10. Khalil, Elias L., 1990. "Beyond Self-Interest and Altruism: A Reconstruction of Adam Smith's Theory of Human Conduct," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(2), pages 255-273, October.
    11. Elias Khalil, 1998. "Is Justice the Primary Feature of the State? Adam Smith's Critique of Social Contract Theory," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 215-230, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kauškale Linda & Geipele Ineta, 2016. "Economic and Social Sustainability of Real Estate Market and Problems of Economic Development – a Historical Overview," Baltic Journal of Real Estate Economics and Construction Management, Sciendo, vol. 4(1), pages 6-31, November.
    2. Elias Khalil, 2009. "Natural selection and rational decision: two concepts of optimization," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 417-435, June.
    3. José Atilano Pena López & José Manuel Sánchez Santos, 2007. "Los fundamentos morales de la economía: una relectura del problema de Adam Smith," Revista de Economía Institucional, Universidad Externado de Colombia - Facultad de Economía, vol. 9(16), pages 63-87, January-J.
    4. Dughera, Stefano & Marciano, Alain, 2022. "Altruism and Strategic Courage. Inside Buchanan's Samaritan's Dilemma," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202201, University of Turin.
    5. Enrico Colombatto & Valerio Tavormina, 2015. "Does altruism justify privileges?," ICER Working Papers 01-2015, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    6. Alain Marciano, 2022. "Sado-Masochism in Buchanan's Samaritan's Dilemma. A Constitutional Perspective," Post-Print hal-03683854, HAL.
    7. Khalil, Elias L., 2017. "Socialized view of man vs. rational choice theory: What does smith’s sympathy have to say?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 223-240.
    8. Khalil, Elias L., 2004. "What is altruism?," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 97-123, February.
    9. Alain Marciano, 2014. "Exploitation, Mutual Advantage and The Myth of the Samaritan's Dilemma," ICER Working Papers 10-2014, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    10. Christophe Faugère, 2021. "Connectalism: A new paradigm for human choice," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(6), pages 866-889, November.
    11. Khalil, Elias L., 2004. "Is a group better off with more altruists? Not necessarily," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 89-92, January.
    12. Khalil, Elias, 2004. "Integrity, Shame and Self-Rationalization," Vassar College Department of Economics Working Paper Series 55, Vassar College Department of Economics.
    13. Pavel Štika, 2009. "Ekonomie a štěstí [Economics and happiness - an overview]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2009(2), pages 250-262.
    14. Sarıbaş, Hakan, 2007. "Kantian Altruism in Economics and Ibn Khaldun [Kantian Altruism in Economics and Ibn Haldun]," MPRA Paper 26904, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Khetpal, Vishal & Mossialos, Elias, 2018. "An ethical appraisal of living-anonymous kidney donation using Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(11), pages 1212-1221.
    16. Stefano Dughera & Alain Marciano, 2020. "Altruism, predation and the Samaritan's dilemma," Working Papers hal-02550432, HAL.
    17. Annie Tubadji, 2020. "Value-Free Analysis of Values: A Culture-Based Development Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-17, November.
    18. Khalil, Elias, 2022. "Does Friendship Stem from Altruism? Adam Smith and the Distinction between Love-based and Interest-based Preferences," OSF Preprints ygpmq, Center for Open Science.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Egoistic theory; egocentric theory; altercentric theory;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B4 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology
    • D0 - Microeconomics - - General

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