Sufficiency Is A Controversial Topic Among Philosophy

Sufficiency is a controversial topic among philosophy. This essay will discuss Adam Smith’s opinion on this topic in How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life written by Russ Roberts. From Smith’s point of view, justice, prudence, and beneficence are sufficient for a good life. His outlook is questionable because it is self-limiting and the details of a good life varies from person to person. Being a loveable person and being loved due to it will increase the quality of one’s life, but being a good person alone cannot guarantee a good life. Smith believes that the virtues of prudence, justice, and beneficence are sufficient for a good life. Roberts introduces the term prudence by describing its modern definition – to not act recklessly.†¦show more content†¦Smith uses the idea of an impartial spectator to explain the difference between was in socially just and unjust. First, he believes that the only acceptable excuse for acting unjustly is as an act of revenge towards someone who had initially acted unjust towards you. In contrast, to hurt someone for the sake of your own benefit is unacceptable. Naturally, humans care more about themselves than they do others. Although this may be true, Smith feels that from the impartial spectator’s perspective, to act on these selfish feelings is recognizably immoral. Lastly, Smith introduces his most vague virtue needed to attain sufficiency: beneficence. Beneficence is defined as the act of doing good things. To better understand what it means to act with beneficence, Smith examines two subjects that make up beneficence – gratitude and charity. Unlike prudence and justice, he recognizes that both gratitude and charity come with many exceptions and modifications. Nonetheless, he still believes that they make it attainable to practice beneficence. He compares identifying beneficence with identifying good writing, â€Å"we know it when we see it, but it not easily taught or described with any precision† (160). In response to this, Roberts states that the inexactitude of the standards of beneficence is what makes doing good things so intimidating. According to Smith, taking care of yourself, not