On the duty to improve the world.
 

DS mentioned this in passing a while back. Did my birth come with some kind of obligation to the rest of you?

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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DS mentioned this in passing a while back. Did my birth come with some kind of obligation to the rest of you?

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No, not even any obligation to yourself.

chez

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

You didn't get the memo?

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

[ QUOTE ]
DS mentioned this in passing a while back. Did my birth come with some kind of obligation to the rest of you?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, you have the right to be selfish. Just don't expect any help from anyone else.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

Most people who feel they have a "duty" to "improve the world" only succeed in ****ing it up even worse.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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DS mentioned this in passing a while back. Did my birth come with some kind of obligation to the rest of you?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, you have the right to be selfish. Just don't expect any help from anyone else.

[/ QUOTE ]
If you see someone in need how do you find out if they are selfish so you can decide to help or not, eg a drowning man?

Very cold charity you are offering.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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DS mentioned this in passing a while back. Did my birth come with some kind of obligation to the rest of you?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, you have the right to be selfish. Just don't expect any help from anyone else.

[/ QUOTE ]

They're not mutually exclusive. We cooperate and treat others well because we want to, not because we have a duty to.

chez

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

No, you're only supposed to help lazy people who don't take care of themselves, especially the big fat ones who buy twinkies with food stamps. I don't just mean help them buy more twinkies. You also gotta pay for their bypass operation when the twinkies clog their arteries.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

No, but some of us get a good feeling from charitable actions.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

Yeah, I see it that way. In the case of the drowning man type scenario, it seems like people have an unconscious drive to help. Instinct?

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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Yeah, I see it that way. In the case of the drowning man type scenario, it seems like people have an unconscious drive to help. Instinct?

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We're evolved to benefit a common gene pool.

chez

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

You're obliged, as an individual, to exist; biologically, to survive. (Maybe the rest is some strange mental-jism...)

If in your existence, in your being of yourself, you end up helping others or the world-at-large, so be it. You do it because you want to, not because you HAVE-TO.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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Yeah, I see it that way. In the case of the drowning man type scenario, it seems like people have an unconscious drive to help. Instinct?

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We're evolved to benefit a common gene pool.

chez

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*nod* There's a very good game theory explanation for altruism, as it is frequently +EV for the species.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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[ QUOTE ]
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DS mentioned this in passing a while back. Did my birth come with some kind of obligation to the rest of you?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, you have the right to be selfish. Just don't expect any help from anyone else.

[/ QUOTE ]
If you see someone in need how do you find out if they are selfish so you can decide to help or not, eg a drowning man?

Very cold charity you are offering.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was a smart aleck comment. Don't "expect" any help from anyone else. If you aren't willing to give, then you shouldn't expect to receive.

The true charity is the one given to those who can't return the favor.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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They're not mutually exclusive. We cooperate and treat others well because we want to, not because we have a duty to.

[/ QUOTE ]

So, if you don't want to, then that's fine. You see no problem with selfishness?

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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They're not mutually exclusive. We cooperate and treat others well because we want to, not because we have a duty to.

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So, if you don't want to, then that's fine. You see no problem with selfishness?

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Its not a question of what I have a problem with. I just don't think duty ethics is right although I can understand why people want it to be right.

and don't underestimate selfishness. Its because our genes are selfish that we care about others so much.

chez

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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and don't underestimate selfishness. Its because our genes are selfish that we care about others so much.


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That's not particularly true (unless you think everything is defined in our genes and we have no free will). If you're talking about species preservation, a lot of my volunteer work is outside of our species. Some of us just look out into the world and realize how lucky we are and feel an obligation (a want) to give to those less fortunate.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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and don't underestimate selfishness. Its because our genes are selfish that we care about others so much.


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That's not particularly true (unless you think everything is defined in our genes and we have no free will). If you're talking about species preservation, a lot of my volunteer work is outside of our species. Some of us just look out into the world and realize how lucky we are and feel an obligation (a want) to give to those less fortunate.

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but you care because humans have evolved to be caring creatures, and that's because it's in the interest of our genes.

It doesn't then mean that you always act in the interests of your genes.

chez

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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but you care because humans have evolved to be caring creatures, and that's because it's in the interest of our genes.

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I don't believe that is true. If anything, it was environmental for me. I think that is supported by the fact that no one in my family has the same "qualities".

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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but you care because humans have evolved to be caring creatures, and that's because it's in the interest of our genes.

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I don't believe that is true. If anything, it was environmental for me. I think that is supported by the fact that no one in my family has the same "qualities".

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So you do charity work for people/animals/things you don't care about?

chez

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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but you care because humans have evolved to be caring creatures, and that's because it's in the interest of our genes.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't believe that is true. If anything, it was environmental for me. I think that is supported by the fact that no one in my family has the same "qualities".

[/ QUOTE ]
So you do charity work for people/animals/things you don't care about?

chez

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Sure I care about them, but I seriously doubt that my genes "evolved" into caring about domesticated animals.

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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but you care because humans have evolved to be caring creatures, and that's because it's in the interest of our genes.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't believe that is true. If anything, it was environmental for me. I think that is supported by the fact that no one in my family has the same "qualities".

[/ QUOTE ]
So you do charity work for people/animals/things you don't care about?

chez

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Sure I care about them, but I seriously doubt that my genes "evolved" into caring about domesticated animals.

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why not? you share nearly all the same genes. Anyway its probably the other way around. Domesticated animals are evolved to tap into the caring attitude of humans. Thats why they look so cute and take on human characteristics.

chez

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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but you care because humans have evolved to be caring creatures, and that's because it's in the interest of our genes.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't believe that is true. If anything, it was environmental for me. I think that is supported by the fact that no one in my family has the same "qualities".

[/ QUOTE ]
So you do charity work for people/animals/things you don't care about?

chez

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure I care about them, but I seriously doubt that my genes "evolved" into caring about domesticated animals.

[/ QUOTE ]
why not? you share nearly all the same genes. Anyway its probably the other way around. Domesticated animals are evolved to tap into the caring attitude of humans. Thats why they look so cute and take on human characteristics.

chez

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As I stated, I believe that it is environmental, especially considering the lack of caring of my immediate family members (and most of society).

Re: On the duty to improve the world.
 

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As I stated, I believe that it is environmental, especially considering the lack of caring of my immediate family members (and most of society).


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have your family been exposed to the same environment?

chez