《道德情操论·卷二·论功劳与过失·三之三·论这种不规则性的终极原因》第1节
SUCH is the effect of the good or bad consequence of actions upon the sentiments both of the person who performs them, and of others; and thus, Fortune, which governs the world, has some influence where we should be least willing to allow her any, and directs in some measure the sentiments of mankind, with regard to the character and conduct both of themselves and others. That the world judges by the event, and not by the design, has been in all ages the complaint, and is the great discouragement of virtue. Every body agrees to the general maxim, that as the event does not depend on the agent, it ought to have no influence upon our sentiments, with regard to the merit or propriety of his conduct. But when we come to particulars, we find that our sentiments are scarce in any one instance exactly conformable to what this equitable maxim would direct. The happy or unprosperous event of any action, is not only apt to give us a good or bad opinion of the prudence with which it was conducted, but almost always too animates our gratitude or resentment, our sense of the merit or demerit of the design.
注释摘要
斯密在这一段里面对的是一个古老的道德困境：我们都知道评判一个人应当看他的意图，而非看结果，但在实际生活中，情感几乎总是跟着结果走。他并不急着谴责这种倾向，而是先把它如实摆出来。那个谁都同意的公平准则——结果不取决于行为者，所以不该影响我们对他的功过判断——一到具体事例就失效了。一次行动结局的好坏，不只会左右我们对其行事是否谨慎的看法，还会直接搅动我们的感激…