The Ethical Standards of the Ordinary People:An Analysis of Adam Smith's Propriety
Adam Smith put forwards the core concept PROPRIETY in his book The Theory of Moral Sentiments and he thought it as ordinary person's moral norms.Getting the sympathy of impartial bystanders is propriety;the action obtaining the effect of propriety may be thought as moral action.The standards of propriety can be most sublime such as mercy,and also be self-respect which takes their origin in the natures such as wariness.According to the viewpoint of propriety,that ordinary people adhere to the elementary moral norms in social life is the foundation ensuring social existence.