Speaking of Smith Archives

Star Trek and Adam Smith: Sympathy of the Vians

February 14, 2023

Can Star Trek teach us something about when intellect and compassion do—and don't—collide? Hartley, with Adam Smith's help, thinks it can.

Did Freakonomics Find the Real Adam Smith?

February 9, 2023

The Freakonomics podcast offers provides a solid introduction to Smith’s life and work, and a useful outlining of the perennial questions one hears about Smith. But it fails to live up to the aspirations of presenting a fuller, more human Smith and avoiding modern, political party tug-of-wars over his legacy.

What Adam Smith Ate: Hogmanay and The Black Bun

February 7, 2023

Before the Reformation, the Black Bun was the Scottish version of a King Cake celebrating Epiphany or the day the three Kings arrived in Bethlehem. After the Reformation, it took on a more secular role as the cake served on New Year’s Day, especially for celebration of “first footing.”

Was Adam Smith Really Like Freakonomics Suggests?

February 2, 2023

The Freakonomics podcast offers criticisms of too-left or too-right interpretations of Adam Smith but fails to present the connections between Smith's two major works. Skwire takes on episode 2 of "In Search of the Real Adam Smith."

Savings, Spending, and Jobs Get US to Necessities, Conveniences, and Amusements

February 1, 2023

After two years of pandemic pent-up demand, our increased savings are now entering the economy as spending on what Smith calls “necessities, conveniences, and amusements.” Parrish and Yancy walk us through the data to help us understand the current trends.

Adam Smith’s Misunderstanding of Wealth Creation and His Abhorrence of Greed

January 31, 2023

What are the most important things to understand about Smith? Soll points to Smith's misunderstanding of wealth creation and his disgust with merchant's greed.

An Accurate versus Inaccurate Reading of Adam Smith

January 30, 2023

The debate continues as Muller again attempts to reconcile Soll's portrayal of Adam Smith with the Adam Smith Muller has studied and written about.

The Ongoing Search for Adam Smith (with Freakonomics)

January 26, 2023

The Freakonomics podcast wants to present Adam Smith as a person - not just two old books on a shelf. Did they succeed? Find out what Skwire says.

Adam Smith, Robert Burns, and a Tipsy Laird (What Adam Smith Ate)

January 24, 2023

Adam Smith and Robert Burns admired and knew of each other. They even bought each other's books but, as far as we know, they never met in person.

Empathy, Adam Smith, and Greek Tragedy

January 15, 2023

Why were the Greek tragedies so important for Smith? One likely reason is their moral ambiguity, which requires empathy to navigate.

The Poor Man's Son According to Adam Smith and Hilary Mantel

January 10, 2023

Many stories from Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments rightfully linger in readers' memories. The poor man's son is one. Eyes are easily blinded by the dazzles of wealth. The spurs of ambition bite deeply into ourselves, friends and family, and a poor blacksmith's son from Putney named Thomas Cromwell.

Paris Salons and Chestnut Soup with Lobster (What Adam Smith Ate)

January 8, 2023

Smith was a regular at Paul-Henri Thiry Baron d’Holbach’s weekly dinners. Holbach was a leading figure of the French Enlightenment and one of the members of the French society developing the Encyclopedia His salon was one of the most prestigious in Paris and limited to men. At Baron d’Holbach’s, Smith frequently met with other scholars and their guests including Turgot, Diderot, and the Abbé Morellet.