From: Mark Steven Heyman (markheyman@infoproconsulting.com)
Date: Sat Jul 10 2004 - 17:27:26 BST
On 10 Jul 2004 at 11:00, Platt Holden wrote:
> msh says:
> Yep, we're just about all the way through the looking glass now.
> People who spend their lives helping others less fortunate than
> themselves are selfish.
That idea is straight from Kant: If your motive for doing good is
your own happiness, you're acting immorally. To be moral, you must
wish to be doing something else while helping another. You must feel
a sense of sacrifice.
msh says:
Actually, I sort of agree with this. But doesn't this mean that one
must analyze each "do-gooders" motives and methods before pronouncing
them immoral? Where does such an analysis occur in your philosophy?
I see none, just sweeping generalizations like the one I noted above.
BTW, I see you've excised the pivotal next sentence in my post, which
gives weight and balance to the full "looking glass" analogy. Here
it is, so that others are not mislead:
"People who spend their lives maximizing their personal wealth
without regard for anyone else are at the pinnacle of morality."
Other comments, anyone?
Best,
msh
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