Smith's system contains a deep, ineradicable knowledge problem extending beyond the economy: an unknowability of the self (people don't know what they are capable of or whether they have truly done good), an unknowability of others' moral worth, and even an unknowability of the good itself, which connects to morality being loose, vague, and indeterminate.
factualpending
Speaker
Dan KleinEvidence Quote
“So, there's a lot of unknowability that that is ineradicable in Smith. That's part of the mystery of Smith in my view.”
Source
Dan Klein on The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Episode 4--A Discussion of Part III 04/29/2009— EconTalkCreated: 6/15/2026, 9:36:51 AM
My Notes
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