#23 - Altruism, egoism, etc.: a discussion with a student

The relation of egoism and altruism, and their meanings. Preachers of altruism. Altruism as a tool of exploitation, in history and religion. Do preachers of altruism themselves believe in altruism? Is there an innate tendency to accept altruism? Greek culture as egoistic and relatively secular; Homer, Aristotle, and Plato. Are the Greek heroes altruistic? Achilles and Prometheus. Why do we get satisfaction from helping others (sometimes)? Why helping others can be self-interested. What is a sacrifice? McDonald’s example. Is it possible to intentionally give up more than one gets? Egoism and relying on experts. Mother Teresa, religion, and selfishness. Predestination, divine foreknowledge, and free will. Compatibilism. Morality as a tool to guide volitional beings live. The nature of happiness. Nozick’s experience machine and drugs. Is what happiness is socially determined? Are good and bad socially determined? Pleasure and pain as grounding, and giving meaning to, “good” and “bad.” Altruism as a package-deal. Contradictions in people’s thinking. Is it necessary to manipulate some people by their emotions? People with Down syndrome and women. Social influence on reasoning ability. Morality as a tool whose nature depends on morality’s goal. Instrumental and intrinsic goods. Rand’s view of life as the ultimate end. The relation of survival and happiness. Suicide. Motivation by fear of non-existence (a negative) vs. by love of existence (a positive).