I think my crux is something like “this is a question to be dissolved, rather than answered”
To me, trying to figure out whether a goal is egoistic or altruistic is like trying to figure out whether a whale is a mammal or a fish—it depends heavily on my framing and why I’m asking the question, and points to two different useful maps that are both correct in different situations, rather than something in the territory.
Another useful map might be something like “is this eudomonic or hedonic egoism” which I think can get less squirrely answers than the “egoic or altruistic” frame. Another useful one might be the “Rational Compassion” frame of “Am I working to rationally optimize the intutions that my feelings give me?”
I think most actions-in-the-world result from a (very) complicated matrix of motivations inside the actor’s head.
I think it’s very rare for an action to be entirely driven by altruistic motivations, or entirely by egotistic motivations.
I do think that many actions are mostly driven by altruistic motivations, and many others mostly driven by egotistic motivations. (And I’ve found it personally helpful to get more clarity on when I’m acting from a mostly altruistic basis, versus when I’m acting from a mostly egotistic basis.)
Sure, but if one has the value of actually helping other people, that distinction disappears, yes?
As an example of a famous egoist, I think someone like Ayn Rand would say that fooling yourself about your values is doing it wrong.
I’m not clear on the crux of our disagreement, or if we’re even disagreeing at all.
I think my crux is something like “this is a question to be dissolved, rather than answered”
To me, trying to figure out whether a goal is egoistic or altruistic is like trying to figure out whether a whale is a mammal or a fish—it depends heavily on my framing and why I’m asking the question, and points to two different useful maps that are both correct in different situations, rather than something in the territory.
Another useful map might be something like “is this eudomonic or hedonic egoism” which I think can get less squirrely answers than the “egoic or altruistic” frame. Another useful one might be the “Rational Compassion” frame of “Am I working to rationally optimize the intutions that my feelings give me?”
I think most actions-in-the-world result from a (very) complicated matrix of motivations inside the actor’s head.
I think it’s very rare for an action to be entirely driven by altruistic motivations, or entirely by egotistic motivations.
I do think that many actions are mostly driven by altruistic motivations, and many others mostly driven by egotistic motivations. (And I’ve found it personally helpful to get more clarity on when I’m acting from a mostly altruistic basis, versus when I’m acting from a mostly egotistic basis.)