Guest speaker Cecil Bohanon, an economics professor at Ball State University in Indiana, spoke to a group of about 40 students and several professors last night about the intersection of Jane Austen’s novels, particularly Sense and Sensibility, and Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments.
The English Department and Praxis co-hosted the event, “Pride and Profit: The Intersection of Jane Austen and Adam Smith.”
“What Adam Smith said, Jane Austen put on steroids. It’s like she’s channeling an older uncle. Smith’s principles show up all over in her novels,” he said. “Our argument is very straightforward: Jane Austen and Adam Smith fit together…[Austen] elaborates, embellishes, and illustrates the Smithian concepts of self-command in her characters.”
Bohanon argued that Theory of Moral Sentiments is a work of moral philosophy in which Smith emphasizes four practical virtues— prudence, justice, beneficence, and self-command—and two vices, pride and vanity. He then examines these virtues and vices, especially self-command, in Austen’s novels.
“Self-control is central to a free society. If people are going to live together they have to have habits where they don’t fly off the handle at somebody,” Bohanon said, citing “America the Beautiful” lyrics. “Smith is making the argument that humans crave approval and want other people to give us a thumbs up. People want to be able to look in the mirror and like what they see. And vice emerges because our perceptions and reality don’t quite match.”
Bohanon then demonstrated how this principle of self-command plays out in the lives of the Dashwood sisters, who are both jilted by lovers.
“Today’s talk was really nice because we got to combine economics and literature,” President of Praxis junior Eric Ragan said. “It focused on the virtues that are required for the free market to work. Later this semester, Praxis is hosting economist Deirdre McCloskey who will address economics and political philosophy. We are really excited for the direction that Praxis is moving in.”
