> > From: jonesr@gatwick.geco-prakla.slb.com
>
> > > Don't underestimate self-interest as a source of many laws and
> > > morality. Most people have an unsuppresed empathy for others,
> > > therefore they can relate to the pain that they would inflict on
> > > others if they were to rob, rape, or kill other humans beings. Since
> > > most people do not want to be robbed, raped, killed, or feel pain,
> > > they agree on laws to make such behavior illegal.
>
> > Correct, /but/ for some people, self-interest is taken further, to the point
> > where one individual cares only about what s/he achieves, and not about the
> > people who are hurt during this achievement. This is, IMO, the stumbling
> > block of Anarchy.
>
> That is not self-interest. That is selfish-interest. The two are not the same.
>
OK, terminology confusion, again!
I would view self-interest as an individual's interest in himself only, no
matter what the cost to others. It is the betterment and advancement of that
individual. You have distinguished between self-interest and selfish-interest
by taking self-interest to be ones interest in survival only and not for any
specific advancement at the cost of others.
Drakir
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Richard Jones "We are the New Breed
jonesr@gatwick.geco-prakla.slb.com We are the Future."
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