Is Selfishness Compatible with Kindness?
-
- Posts: 126
- Joined: June 1st, 2012, 4:20 pm
Re: Is Selfishness Compatible with Kindness?
You premise is that selfishness could be irrational, that is-man can act mindlessly in order to promote his best interests. But this is contradiction in terms. As for kindness-it is a form of value-trade. To be able to engage in such a trade man first has to recognize his own value, in other words he has to be selfish. Selflessness means valuelessness and by definition contradicts the concept of kindness.
-
- Posts: 525
- Joined: April 7th, 2011, 9:52 am
Re: Is Selfishness Compatible with Kindness?
To add, selfishness is different to responsibility. Responsibility is doing what you do want to do. But selfishness is doing what he wants to do. So if a person wants to help people, he has selfish desire and therefore selfishness is compatible with kindness.
Now, German philosopher Kant was more in favour of responsibility than selfishness. He is treating humans maybe like a heartless machine. But to me, selfishness is more important than responsibility, because we are humans. I do not agree with Kant's moral idea.
2023/2024 Philosophy Books of the Month
Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Mitzi Perdue
February 2023
Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness
by Chet Shupe
March 2023