Adam Smith Theory of Moral Sentiments - Tentative Answer

2. What is the 'impartial observer' and how does that person differ from the person exploring sentiments?

The impartial observer is an idea developed by Adam Smith in which a person imagines himself as an unbiased witness to an action to imagine how the consequences would make the impartial observer feel. In this way a person is able to make unbiased decisions and base it on what is morally acceptable to society. Where this differs in a person exploring different sentiments is that the impartial observer removes the inherent bias humans have. Smith acknowledges that our judgement is partially clouded by our sympathy for others, which varies. Exploring one’s sentiments still relies on sympathy as a force in making decisions. The impartial observer allows a person to look at their actions and the consequences from a disassociated point of view of a morally sound individual. However, Smith’s impartial observer implies that its morals reflect the morals of society rather than the interpretation of morals by the individual. Smith’s impartial observer allows for a person to base their judgements on how others in the society would feel rather than how they would feel.