Part I, Section I, Chapter III: Of the manner in which we judge of the propriety or impropriety of the affections of other men, by their concord or dissonance with our own
Adam Smith
Adam Smith's insight here reflects the inherently subjective nature of moral judgment. He suggests that empathy is not just a nicety but a necessity; we use our own experiences as the benchmark for understanding others. This idea challenges the more detached, objective views of human interaction prevalent among thinkers of the Enlightenment era, insisting instead on the central role of individual perception in moral reasoning.