How to know if you're being selfish (and whether or not that's bad) - Mark Hopwood

TED-Ed
23 Jan 202405:59
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video script explores the age-old philosophical question of whether humans are inherently selfish, touching upon the concept of psychological egoism. It discusses various perspectives, including John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism, Aristotle's virtues, and Immanuel Kant's view on self-love. The script also highlights the distinction between 'Amour de soi' and 'amour propre' as described by Rousseau, and how true self-love may involve overcoming selfish tendencies. Iris Murdoch's perspective on love and attention as a means to transcend selfishness is a central theme, suggesting that by focusing on the world beyond the self, we can achieve a more authentic understanding and connection with others.

Takeaways
  • 🍰 **Utilitarianism vs. Self-Interest**: John Stuart Mill's utilitarian philosophy suggests striving for the greatest happiness for the most people, while Thomas Hobbes posits that humans are inherently selfish, aiming for personal gain.
  • 🧘 **Psychological Egoism**: The idea that humans only act out of self-interest is not widely endorsed among philosophers due to evidence of self-sacrifice and altruistic behavior, even in young children.
  • 🤔 **Kant's View on Self-Love**: Immanuel Kant suggests that even when we seem to act for others, there might be a hidden self-interested motive, such as appearing charitable or gaining tax benefits.
  • 💔 **Rousseau's Self-Love Distinction**: Jean-Jacques Rousseau differentiates between 'Amour de soi', a natural self-preservation instinct, and 'amour propre', a harmful desire for recognition and status.
  • 🌳 **Aristotle on Social Beings**: Aristotle argues that humans are social beings and that true self-love involves working against selfish tendencies for the common good.
  • 🧗 **Overcoming Selfishness**: Philosophers like Kant believe moral duty can elevate us above self-interest, while others, including Rousseau and Adam Smith, think emotions like pity and sympathy allow us to consider others' needs.
  • 💓 **Murdoch's Solution to Selfishness**: Iris Murdoch believes that love, particularly the recognition of the reality of others, is the key to overcoming selfishness.
  • 🎭 **Selfishness as a Worldview**: For Murdoch, selfishness is not about trivial acts but about perceiving oneself as the central character of life, relegating others to secondary roles.
  • 👵 **The Mother-in-Law Example**: Murdoch illustrates selfishness through the story of a mother-in-law who reduces her daughter-in-law to a caricature based on her own insecurities.
  • 🌈 **The Power of Attention**: Murdoch advocates for cultivating attention through practices like art engagement, learning languages, or observing nature to shift focus from the self to the world around us.
  • 🔍 **Love as Realization**: She defines love as the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real, which can be achieved by practicing attention and empathy.
Q & A

  • What is the moral dilemma presented in the kitchen at a friend's party?

    -The moral dilemma is whether to take the last cupcake for oneself, despite the presence of other guests, which leads to a deeper philosophical discussion about human selfishness and altruism.

  • What does John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism suggest one should do?

    -John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism suggests that one should always strive to bring about the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.

  • What does Aristotle remind us about?

    -Aristotle reminds us of the importance of virtues such as generosity and justice, which are key to ethical behavior.

  • What is Thomas Hobbes' view on human nature?

    -Thomas Hobbes posits that human beings are inherently selfish, with the object of all voluntary acts being one's own good.

  • What is psychological egoism?

    -Psychological egoism is the idea that humans only act out of self-interest, a stance that is not widely endorsed among philosophers due to evidence of self-sacrifice and altruistic behavior.

  • How do some psychologists interpret young children's helpful behavior?

    -Psychologists have found that even very young children demonstrate helpful behavior, suggesting that it is not solely driven by self-interest.

  • What does Immanuel Kant suggest about our motivations for seemingly altruistic acts?

    -Immanuel Kant suggests that even when we seem to act for the sake of others, we might be motivated by a 'secret impulse of self-love,' such as the desire for recognition or personal gain.

  • What are the two kinds of self-love identified by Jean-Jacques Rousseau?

    -Rousseau identified 'Amour de soi,' a basic need for self-preservation, as natural and essential, and 'amour propre,' a toxic desire for recognition and social status, as the cause of many social issues.

  • How does Aristotle view the relationship between self-love and the good of others?

    -Aristotle argues that humans are social beings who can only flourish when seeking the good of others as well as themselves, implying that true self-love involves overcoming selfish tendencies.

  • What does Iris Murdoch believe is the solution to human selfishness?

    -Iris Murdoch believes that the only true solution to human selfishness is a certain kind of love, which involves recognizing the reality of others and not just oneself.

  • What is the concept of 'attention' as described by Iris Murdoch?

    -Murdoch's concept of 'attention' involves a practice that directs one's focus beyond the self, which can be cultivated through activities like engaging with art, learning foreign languages, or observing the natural environment.

  • How does Murdoch define love in the context of overcoming selfishness?

    -Murdoch defines love as 'the extremely difficult realization that something other than oneself is real,' suggesting that true love involves seeing and acknowledging the existence and importance of others.

Outlines
00:00
🤔 Philosophical Dilemmas: Selfishness and Altruism

This paragraph explores the philosophical debate on whether humans are inherently selfish, known as psychological egoism. It discusses various perspectives, including John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism advocating for the greatest happiness for the most people, Aristotle's emphasis on virtues, and Thomas Hobbes' view on human selfishness. The paragraph also mentions Immanuel Kant's skepticism about genuine altruism and Jean-Jacques Rousseau's distinction between healthy self-love ('amour de soi') and harmful vanity ('amour propre'). It concludes with the notion that true self-love may involve overcoming selfish tendencies for the greater good, as per Aristotle's view of humans as social beings.

05:01
💭 Overcoming Selfishness Through Attention and Love

The second paragraph delves into potential solutions to human selfishness. It references Iris Murdoch's belief that love, particularly the recognition of the reality of others, is key to overcoming selfishness. Murdoch illustrates this with the example of a mother-in-law who, despite politeness, harbors negative feelings towards her daughter-in-law. Murdoch suggests that through conscious effort, one can shift from a self-centered view to a more accurate and empathetic perception of others. She introduces the concept of 'attention,' inspired by Buddhist meditation, which involves practices that direct one's focus beyond the self, such as engaging with art or observing nature. The paragraph emphasizes that by cultivating attention, individuals can learn to see the world as it truly is, thus fostering a less selfish and more compassionate perspective.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that suggests the best action is the one that maximizes utility, often defined in terms of the greatest overall happiness or pleasure for the greatest number of people. In the script, John Stuart Mill's utilitarian philosophy is mentioned to highlight the moral dilemma of whether to take the last cupcake, suggesting that one should act for the greatest happiness of the greatest number.
💡Virtue Ethics
Virtue Ethics is a moral philosophy that emphasizes virtues, or character traits, as the key element of ethical thinking. Aristotle's emphasis on virtues such as generosity and justice is referenced in the script to illustrate the importance of moral character in decision-making, contrasting with the idea of selfishness.
💡Psychological Egoism
Psychological egoism is the theory that humans only act out of self-interest. The script discusses this concept as a central theme, questioning whether humans are inherently selfish. It is noted that few philosophers endorse this extreme stance due to evidence of self-sacrifice and altruistic behavior.
💡Self-Love
Self-love, as discussed in the script, refers to the natural inclination to care for oneself. Jean-Jacques Rousseau's distinction between 'amour de soi' (healthy self-love) and 'amour propre' (self-love leading to vanity and comparison) is highlighted to show how self-love can be both natural and potentially problematic.
💡Social Contract Theory
Social Contract Theory, associated with Thomas Hobbes, posits that societies and states exist under a social contract for mutual self-interest. In the script, Hobbes' perspective is used to question the inherent selfishness in human actions, suggesting that the object of all voluntary acts is one's own good.
💡Altruism
Altruism is the selfless concern for the well-being of others, which stands in contrast to psychological egoism. The script provides examples of humans, including young children, demonstrating helpful behavior without any direct benefit to themselves, as evidence against the notion that humans are solely self-interested.
💡Kant's Moral Duty
Immanuel Kant's philosophy is referenced in the script to explain how moral duty can motivate individuals to act against their self-interest. Kant believed that duty and rational will are what distinguish humans from acting purely out of selfish impulses.
💡Sympathy and Pity
Sympathy and pity are emotions that allow individuals to connect with and consider the needs of others. The script mentions Rousseau and Adam Smith's view that these emotions are crucial in overcoming selfish tendencies and fostering social bonds.
💡Selfishness
Selfishness is the focus on one's own interests at the expense of others. In the context of the script, selfishness is explored as a deep-seated human trait, with various philosophers offering insights into how it can be mitigated or overcome.
💡Attention
Attention, as defined by Iris Murdoch in the script, is the practice of focusing on something other than oneself. It involves a conscious effort to perceive others and the world accurately, which Murdoch believes can help overcome selfishness by recognizing the reality of others.
💡Love
Love, in the context of Iris Murdoch's philosophy presented in the script, is the realization that something other than oneself is real. It is a form of selfless recognition that can counteract the tendency to see oneself as the center of the world, thereby reducing selfishness.
Highlights

John Stuart Mill's utilitarian philosophy emphasizes striving for the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.

Aristotle stresses the virtues of generosity and justice in moral behavior.

Thomas Hobbes suggests that all voluntary acts are motivated by self-interest, implying inherent selfishness in humans.

Psychological egoism, the idea that humans only act out of self-interest, is not widely endorsed due to evidence of self-sacrifice.

Psychological studies show that even young children exhibit helpful behavior without personal gain.

Many philosophers agree on a deep selfish streak in humans, despite evidence against extreme psychological egoism.

Immanuel Kant discusses the possibility of 'a secret impulse of self-love' motivating seemingly altruistic acts.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau differentiates between 'Amour de soi', a natural self-preservation instinct, and 'amour propre', a toxic desire for social status.

Aristotle argues that true self-love involves seeking the good of others as well as oneself, as humans are social beings.

The question of how to overcome selfishness is a central issue for many philosophers.

Kant believes moral duty can help individuals rise above narrow self-interest.

Rousseau and Adam Smith propose that emotions like pity and sympathy enable consideration for others' needs.

Iris Murdoch identifies love, or a certain kind of love, as the solution to human selfishness.

Murdoch uses the story of a discontented mother-in-law to illustrate the concept of selfishness.

Selfishness, according to Murdoch, is about perceiving the world with oneself as the central character.

She defines love as 'the extremely difficult realization that something other than oneself is real'.

Murdoch advocates for cultivating attention through practices like engaging with art or observing nature to direct focus beyond the self.

Attention, inspired by Buddhist meditation, is key to perceiving the world as it truly is, according to Murdoch.

Transcripts

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