jarude
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2008
- Messages
- 4,742
- Reaction score
- 655
A meaning of life, no doubt, despite the glaring contradictions and ivory-tower fantasy implications.
If people gained pleasure from helping others and abode by a common code of ethics, this would be simple. Altruism has extrinsic value and promotes happiness; whether it is be personal sense of accomplishment for oneself or the gratefulness of the recipient. You could also argue altruism results in an intrinsic good - someone else's pleasure.
By then encouraging people to do whatever they wanted as long as it did not infringe on the rights/pleasure of other people, maximum "hedonism" for maximum people would be achieved, or in other words, greatest net benefit for society in terms of happiness. Net pleasure = personal pleasure plus altruistically-related pleasure minus pain.
This would require people to...
Have empathy and selflessness- for altruism
Be patient - to understand that ultimately personal pleasure is enhanced by aiding another in attaining it, and that others will be helping you attain your own
Be honest - to abide by a code of ethics
Obviously, this won't work. Why not? Is it because people are selfish? Masochistic? Have conventional Western thoughts and attitudes corroded the values attached to an idea like this? Furthermore, knowing that it is an ultimately impossible ideal to achieve in this life, does this give more credit to the idea that it is a/the transcendent "meaning of life" or optimal way of living? Discuss.
If people gained pleasure from helping others and abode by a common code of ethics, this would be simple. Altruism has extrinsic value and promotes happiness; whether it is be personal sense of accomplishment for oneself or the gratefulness of the recipient. You could also argue altruism results in an intrinsic good - someone else's pleasure.
By then encouraging people to do whatever they wanted as long as it did not infringe on the rights/pleasure of other people, maximum "hedonism" for maximum people would be achieved, or in other words, greatest net benefit for society in terms of happiness. Net pleasure = personal pleasure plus altruistically-related pleasure minus pain.
This would require people to...
Have empathy and selflessness- for altruism
Be patient - to understand that ultimately personal pleasure is enhanced by aiding another in attaining it, and that others will be helping you attain your own
Be honest - to abide by a code of ethics
Obviously, this won't work. Why not? Is it because people are selfish? Masochistic? Have conventional Western thoughts and attitudes corroded the values attached to an idea like this? Furthermore, knowing that it is an ultimately impossible ideal to achieve in this life, does this give more credit to the idea that it is a/the transcendent "meaning of life" or optimal way of living? Discuss.
