# IV: Recapitulation of the Foregoing Chapters explained — The Theory of Moral Sentiments

> Chapter companion for The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith.

## What happens

This chapter recapitulates the conditions under which we sympathize with gratitude and resentment. It argues that we fully sympathize with gratitude only when we approve of the benefactor's motives, and with resentment only when we disapprove of the agent's motives. The propriety or impropriety of the affection behind an action determines whether we regard the benefactor as deserving reward or the offender as deserving punishment.

## Themes in this chapter

### Sympathy as the Foundation of Moral Judgment

The chapter emphasizes that moral approval of gratitude or resentment depends on our sympathy with the motives behind the action, not merely its effects.

### Virtue as Propriety and Self-Command

The propriety of the affection from which an action proceeds is central to determining whether the action deserves reward or punishment.

## Key lines

> We do not therefore thoroughly and heartily sympathize with the gratitude of one man towards another, merely because this other has been the cause of his good fortune, unless he has been the cause of it from motives which we entirely go along with.

We only fully share in someone's gratitude toward another if we approve of the motives that led that person to act beneficially.

_This establishes that sympathy with gratitude requires approval of the benefactor's intentions._

> In the same manner, we cannot at all sympathize with the resentment of one man against another, merely because this other has been the cause of his misfortune, unless he has been the cause of it from motives which we cannot enter into.

Similarly, we only share in someone's resentment if we disapprove of the motives that caused the harm.

_This parallels the condition for sympathy with resentment to that for gratitude._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_theory_of_moral_sentiments_se/chapters/iv-recapitulation-of-the-foregoing-chapters
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_theory_of_moral_sentiments_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_theory_of_moral_sentiments_se/chapters