The Selfish Nature Of All Actions

[boagie]

Originally Posted by kennethamy

Sure, if you are not interested in discovering what is true, but interested only in your own view which seems to be confused. But, of course, I reserve the right to comment on anything which I think should be commented on. This thread is, after all, not your private preserve. Your replies to my criticisms (if "reply" is the word) were not satisfactory. And if you make further comment, I will criticize them so that they do not mislead and confuse others.

kennethamy,

Fond of circles are we? Look do not make it a declaration of war, we simply would be better off in the absence of the other. We have tried to over come this, it did not work, lets both move on, there are lot of interesting people out there, there is no need for us to continue to frustrate one another.You specialize in negativity I do not like that,I am sure there are many aspects of my behaviour you do not like ------again lets move on.

[kennethamy]

Originally Posted by boagie

kennethamy,

Fond of circles are we? Look do not make it a declaration of war, we simply would be better off in the absence of the other. We have tried to over come this, it did not work, lets both move on, there are lot of interesting people out there, there is no need for us to continue to frustrate one another.You specialize in negativity I do not like that,I am sure there are many aspects of my behaviour you do not like ------again lets move on.

Others read what you post. This is not a personal matter, and this is not a personal forum. It does not exist so that you may espouse your views. I am not sure what you mean by "negativity", but if you happen to mean that when you are mistaken I will point that out, you are right. Why should you expect not to be criticized? Critical thinking is an important part of philosophy. If you do not want criticism, then I suggest that you do not post.

[boagie]

Originally Posted by kennethamy

Others read what you post. This is not a personal matter, and this is not a personal forum. It does not exist so that you may espouse your views. I am not sure what you mean by "negativity", but if you happen to mean that when you are mistaken I will point that out, you are right. Why should you expect not to be criticized? Critical thinking is an important part of philosophy. If you do not want criticism, then I suggest that you do not post.

Kennethamy,

Our communications in the past have been unproductive,they are unproductive in the present,if you wish to believe that to be my fault, I will not disagree---------why waste your time?

[kennethamy]

Originally Posted by boagie

Kennethamy,

Our communications in the past have been unproductive,they are unproductive in the present,if you wish to believe that to be my fault, I will not disagree---------why waste your time?

I think I have pointed out several times that posts are not only for your eyes.

[boagie]

Originally Posted by kennethamy

I think I have pointed out several times that posts are not only for your eyes.

kennethamy,

For posterity then,I for got about your public.

[kennethamy]

Originally Posted by boagie

kennethamy,

For posterity then,I for got about your public.

Something like that. I don't want people to be misled.

[boagie]

Just don't get it on the sheets!

[kennethamy]

Originally Posted by boagie

Just don't get it on the sheets!

Now that is a clever retort. Why hadn't I thought of it? And quite worthy of your other posts too. Can you think up another remark of the same intellectual caliber?

[boagie]

Hi Folks!

dictionary.com, selfishness and self-interest are very much synonyms.

"The definition of selfishness is: "devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.", while the definition of self-interest is "regard for one's own interest or advantage, esp. with disregard for others."

It is precisely this understanding of these terms that is vital to understanding the modivational aspect of our actions. All actions are of necessity selfish, as in self-serveing. Self sacrifice might at first seem an acception and indeed there is a twist here, a kind of mutation if you will of the concept of self. With the subjects identification with other there is a breakthrough, where self and other become one, so the concept of self incorporates other, thus, self-sacifice is said to be selfish, as serveing ones self interest = self-serveing.The conclusion we are then drawn to is that there is no such thing as pure altruism by the above defination. Compassion you might say is both the ends and the means of said conclusion.

[kennethamy]

Originally Posted by boagie

Hi Folks!

dictionary.com, selfishness and self-interest are very much synonyms.

"The definition of selfishness is: "devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.", while the definition of self-interest is "regard for one's own interest or advantage, esp. with disregard for others."

It is precisely this understanding of these terms that is vital to understanding the modivational aspect of our actions. All actions are of necessity selfish, as in self-serveing. Self sacrifice might at first seem an acception and indeed there is a twist here, a kind of mutation if you will of the concept of self. With the subjects identification with other there is a breakthrough, where self and other become one, so the concept of self incorporates other, thus, self-sacifice is said to be selfish, as serveing ones self interest = self-serveing.The conclusion we are then drawn to is that there is no such thing as pure altruism by the above defination. Compassion you might say is both the ends and the means of said conclusion.

It isn't the words that matter, it is what they refer to that does. There is a distinction between acting in one's self-interest, but not affecting anyone else, or not doing something at the expense of others, on the one hand, and acting in one's self-interest and, by doing so, affecting others adversely and at their expense. It doesn't matter what you call these two different kinds of actions. Does it? And the first kind of action is morally neutral, but the second kind of action is not morally neutral, but morally negative. The particular words we use to name these two kinds of actions are irrelevant. (Call them actions of Type A, and actions of Type B, if you like. Makes no difference to the fact that they are different kinds of actions, and are morally different).