My colleagues Daniel Klein, Nicholas Swanson, and Jeffrey Young provide their interpretation of Adam Smith’s imaginary being in their essay “The Impartial Spectator Rises” in the most recent issue of Econ Journal Watch (see here or below). As it happens, scholars are still divided about how to interpret the ideal observer/impartial spectator in Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments (see, e.g., pp. 60-64 of my forthcoming survey of Adam Smith problems with Salim Rashid), so Klein, Swanson, and Young’s new paper is a must-read for me. Suffice it to say I will scrutinize their paper and report back soon; in the meantime, file under: yet another “Adam Smith problem“.