ABSTRACT
Smith's primary defensive structure is made up using rationalizations for his positions, the moralization of the rightness of his positions and the rational intellectualization of his positions. This chapter argues that a system of defenses is necessary for the creation of Smith's moral structure. The system of defenses used in The Theory of Moral Sentiments (TMS), like any other defensive system, has both strengths and limitations. Its strengths facilitate the structure of the moral system that Smith promotes, and within that structure it places limits on unique individual creativity, change, dynamism and spontaneity. The chapter describes what we mean by defenses employing psychoanalytic literature. An important shift in the analysis of defenses has been in viewing defenses as a set of relational and cognitive processes that emphasize the 'interpersonal' context in the use of defenses. The chapter provides an overview of three other fundamental parts in the TMS: merit and de-merit, duty and virtues.
