The Question of Selfless Conduct

1
The Question of Selfless Conduct

• Human Nature we are either inherently
  good (Mencius) or inherently evil (Hsun-tzu)
  environmental influences divert us from our true
  natures
• Psychological egoism all actions are aimed at
  promoting ones own self-interest
• even in pity and charity, we think of
  ourselves in anothers situation

Hsun-tzu
Mencius
Hobbes
2
Altruism and Self-Interest

• Concern for others (benevolence) is not
  incompatible with self-love, because we can be
  happy in achieving our aims (which might include
  helping others)

Joseph Butler

• To avoid concluding that egoism is not
  falsifiable, sociobiology argues that altruism
  can be seen in how it promotes group survival

Edward O. Wilson
3
Reason and Moral Judgments

• A factual inclination toward self-interest
  does not imply that we ought to promote it
• Judgments of moral approval/disapproval are based
  on feeling or sentiment, not reason
• Searles Reply obligations are institutional

Hume

• Emotivism/Prescriptivism moral claims are not
  true/false they merely express feelings or
  recommendations

A. J. Ayer

• Kurt Baier morality is not based on emotions but
  on determining the best reasons for acting