In Adam Smith’s theory of jurisprudence, justice involves an interpretation of what is fair and reasonable in a given context and situation. Such judgments are rooted in history and in an understanding of human relationships from the earliest of times. In making judgments about ourselves and others we must interpret the situation confronting us with reference to a referent that provides us with an interpretive “point of view” or lens, and a set of organizing principles. In Smith’s theory of jurisprudence, a generalizable and universal referent is embodied in the metaphorical device of the impartial spectator. There are, however, contemporary challenges to the spectator view.