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  #1  
Old 11-05-2005, 12:20 PM
purnell purnell is offline
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Default 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?
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  #2  
Old 11-05-2005, 12:23 PM
chezlaw chezlaw is offline
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Default 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 ]
No, not even any obligation to yourself.

chez
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  #3  
Old 11-05-2005, 12:24 PM
DougShrapnel DougShrapnel is offline
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Default Re: On the duty to improve the world.

You didn't get the memo?
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  #4  
Old 11-05-2005, 12:31 PM
BigSoonerFan BigSoonerFan is offline
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Default 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.
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  #5  
Old 11-05-2005, 02:58 PM
Trantor Trantor is offline
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Default Re: On the duty to improve the world.

[ QUOTE ]
[ 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.

[/ 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.
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  #6  
Old 11-06-2005, 03:23 AM
BigSoonerFan BigSoonerFan is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Midwest
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Default Re: On the duty to improve the world.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ 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.

[/ 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.
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  #7  
Old 11-05-2005, 03:00 PM
chezlaw chezlaw is offline
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Location: London, England
Posts: 58
Default Re: On the duty to improve the world.

[ QUOTE ]
[ 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.

[/ QUOTE ]

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

chez
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  #8  
Old 11-06-2005, 03:26 AM
BigSoonerFan BigSoonerFan is offline
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Default Re: On the duty to improve the world.

[ QUOTE ]
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?
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  #9  
Old 11-06-2005, 07:21 AM
chezlaw chezlaw is offline
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Default Re: On the duty to improve the world.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
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?

[/ QUOTE ]
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
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  #10  
Old 11-06-2005, 10:30 AM
BigSoonerFan BigSoonerFan is offline
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Default Re: On the duty to improve the world.

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


[/ QUOTE ]

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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