在古今之變的社會轉型之下，斯密的《道德情操論》意在為新興的商業社會確立一種奠基於同情共感之上的道德哲學。斯密引入合宜性與公正的旁觀者的視角以解決道德判斷的規範性問題，確立了情感—秩序—美德的道德情感發生學機制。然而，晚年的斯密意識到商業與美德之間的張力問題，部分地回歸到了古典德性論的目的論傳統。在六次修訂後，斯密增加了深受斯多葛主義影響的德性論與基督教的良心論、報應論等，體現了其同情倫理學兼容古典美德與現代美德的複雜性。由於良心只是「半神人」，道德的終極審判還必須訴諸最高的自然神。這表明斯密基於經驗感知的同情倫理學必須訴諸傳統基督教神學的報應論，才能保證其客觀性與有效性。

Under the background of great social transformation between ancient and modern times, Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments aims to establish a moral philosophy based on sympathy for the emerging commercial society. Smith introduced the propriety of affection and the perspective of the impartial spectators to solve the normative questions of moral judgement and established the emotion-order-virtue genetic mechanism of moral sentiment. In his later years, however, Smith was aware of the tension between business and virtue, returning in part to the tradition of classical virtue ethics. After six revisions, Smith added the virtue ethics, which was deeply influenced by Stoicism, and the theory of conscience and retribution of Christianity etc., reflecting the complexity of his sympathy ethics compatible with classical virtues and modern virtues. Since conscience is only a “demigod,” the ultimate moral judgment must also appeal to the Author of nature. This shows that Smith’s sympathy ethics based on empirical perception must appeal to the theory of retribution of traditional Christianity in order to guarantee its objectivity and effectiveness.