Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    There is no fixed human nature that grounds ethical egoism — Carmelics
    Home/Personal Identity
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    There is no fixed human nature that grounds ethical egoism

    Personal IdentityVirtue Ethics
    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    2 reasons for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    2 perspectives
    Reason for 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Mencius demonstrates that humans possess innate moral sprouts (四端, sìduān) including compassion, shame, and benevolence that resist purely egoistic reduction.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.The universality of the moral sprouts across cultures undermines the claim that self-interest is the singular fixed motivational bedrock of human nature.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.Aristotle's account of humans as political animals whose flourishing requires other-regarding virtues further falsifies a fixed egoistic human nature.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason for 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.If human motivations were fixed toward egoism, cross-cultural practices of self-sacrifice and altruism would require systematic explanation ethical egoism cannot provide.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Hume's observation that sympathy is a natural and immediate human response to others' suffering establishes other-regard as constitutively human, not derived from self-interest.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Human motivations are highly malleable
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Human motivations are almost exclusively products of environmental influences
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Sign in or register to share your perspective on this statement.

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.

    Topics

    Personal IdentityVirtue Ethics

    Connections

    1 topic

    Moral Responsibility2 linked

    Related

    Aristotle's account of humans as political animals whose flourishing requires ot...Human motivations are almost exclusively products of environmental influencesHuman motivations are highly malleableHume's observation that sympathy is a natural and immediate human response to ot...
    +3 moreShow less
    If human motivations were fixed toward egoism, cross-cultural practices of self-...Mencius demonstrates that humans possess innate moral sprouts (四端, sìduān) inclu...The universality of the moral sprouts across cultures undermines the claim that ...

    Similar

    Stirner rejects morality because morality involves positing obligation...78%Sulzer's moral theory is not egocentric.76%Evolutionary theory does not support the conclusion that egoism is tru...76%There is no such thing as human nature76%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: mencius
    View source passageHide passage
    There is controversy about what the views of Yang Zhu (fifth to fourth century BCE) were.[20] However, a plausible case can be made that he defended ethical egoism based on a particular conception of human nature. Yang Zhu’s line of argument has considerable plausibility in his philosophical context. Although Mohists and Confucians disagreed about many things, they agreed on two key points: the proper Way to live and to organize society is dictated by Heaven, and this Way will sometimes demand
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (2 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit