Home Page Philosophy Ethics Are All Human Actions Motivated By Self-interest Analysis Essay Example

Are All Human Actions Motivated By Self-interest Analysis Essay Example

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Topics:

Ethics, Happiness, Human, Interests

Pages: 2 (356 words)
Published: October 22, 2017
Type: Essay

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In the consumer world we live in today, where money is the principle strife and happiness tends to be a sub-category it seems disturbingly apparent that we are becoming more and more egotistical. Despite the worldwide phenomenon of global telecommunication with the age of industry sprouting an ever-increasing drive towards urban city centers in the pursuit of better living.

Indeed the American dream is the epitome of this new mentality that has evolved with the skyscrapers and microchips of today's world, in that all one strives for is personal happiness; a stable family life, a beautiful home with white picket fences, a nice car, and wealth to indulge. Yet, is everything truly rooted in a pursuit of one's own happiness? In order to explore the question it must be defined as to what self-interest constitutes. If in saying on

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e performs an action motivated by self-interest, we can then say that self-interest denotes some form of gain or personal benefit from said action.

Whether the validity of this statement be based on either a direct or indirect benefit or both is very much disputable. However in a practical sense, taking into account the workings of human society, in order to be able to say that someone has performed a selfish act, said person would have to benefit directly in quite an apparent fashion, possibly resulting in the misfortune of another. Yet this brings the idea of fairness into question, in order to determine the definition of self-interest on a particular scale, however I will avoid this so to focus on the matters of selflessness and self-interest.

Some form of self-interest governs most affairs of the world these days, i

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that one as an individual or a representative of some sort is always looking to ways of advancement and progress or simply benefits that will in turn benefit themselves. Indeed all negotiations and diplomatic affairs are compounded by the political climates, with each nation looking out for their safety or profit. The only form of agreement is that of compromise in which everyone benefits. This mutual gain reflects the same course as the supposedly selfless act.

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