ABSTRACT
Some recent contributions on Smithian sympathy still refer to the Adam Smith Problem. The question of the precise nature of Smithian sympathy gave rise to an abundant literature from as early as the nineteenth century with the emergence of the Adam Smith Problem. In order to reconcile Smith's two major works, Binmore proposes to free Smithian sympathy from its supposed initial confusion by reinterpreting it in terms of modern empathy. According to Binmore, the Adam Smith Problem stems from Smith's ambiguous understanding of sympathy. For some commentators, Smith used the term sympathy to refer to a concordance of sentiments between two persons rather than a specific sentiment felt by the spectator. Sympathy is held to be rather a cognitive process, prior to the emotional realm, which would enable spectators to conceive of the sentiments of others. There are differences between Smith's and David Hume's system of sympathy.
