Welcome to this episode of the podcast. Today, we’re discussing the work of Sophie de Grouchy, an 18th and early 19th century philosopher whose contributions to moral and political thought have often been overlooked. Best known for her translation of Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Grouchy didn’t just translate—she developed her own ideas on sympathy, ethics, and politics in Letters on Sympathy.
Our guest, Getty Lustila, explores Grouchy’s place in the sentimentalist tradition, her engagement with questions of morality and human nature, and why her work matters for understanding the history of ethics. We discuss how she builds on and departs from Smith’s ideas, the role of sympathy in shaping moral and political life, and the broader intellectual context in which she was writing.
New Voices in the History of Philosophy