Adam Smith was the founder of Laissez-Faire Capitalism, but he still believed that Capitalism must be balanced out with morality, and thus his two-part set: 1.) Wealth of Nations and 2.) the Theory of Moral Sentiments.
To put it plainly, Smith showed that capitalism is the best system (and it is), but Capitalism must be balanced out with morality.
Wouldn’t companies work faster to develop a vaccine, if they knew there was a big payoff in the end?
As to Adam Smith’s Moral Sentiments - I’d wager that if you investigated any of the major drug companies, you would discover that they regularly donate millions of dollars worth of drugs to people in the third world.
And I guess I’ve accepted the basic premise of your argument, without even questioning it. Do you believe that companies are slow walking Ebola research, because of costs and/or a desire to make a profit? I have seen no evidence of that, and I assume the reverse is true. Companies are probably ramping up their Ebola research, in light of the current outbreak.
You are all over the road today. Did you take your Ritalin?
First you make a decidedly Socialist argument that Ebola vaccines must be given away. You know that means the government will enforce that.
Then you bring up the teachings of Christ. Liberals love to argue that Christ meant the State should “feed the poor”, etc.
Now you are arguing Adam Smith and Capitalsim. Honestly, I have no clue where you want to go with this.
What’s next? The Flying Spaghetti Monster’s views on Ebola Vaccines?
Again...
The concept of “capitalism” was purely a boogeyman and or straw man of the collectivists of the 1800’s.
Adam Smith was dead long before then...
Those who accept the concept of capitalism also accept the the narrow box the F’ing marxists PUT you in.
I believe Adam smith was more along the lines of Natural rights. Which has as much to do with the metaphysical as it does the physical. Its not really surprising that marxists (the ultimate materialists) would come up with a single dimensional boogeyman based on nothing but what they understood most... Materialism.
People are people. Companies are made up of people... People do things for their own reasons and companies do things for the reasons the people who work in those companies decide is for their best interest. Materialistically AND metaphysically. The term CAPITALISM doesnt even begin to cover the reality. It cant... It was invented by people who had/have a warped view of reality.
The people who work for those companies may decide its in their best interest to do exactly what you stated... But its immoral to force them... This leads naturally into a discussion of culture, religion, and the basis of the morality of a people and if that morality is suitable for the survival of that culture and people. but thats beyond the scope of this thread.