Do you believe that there are any moral (ethical) obligations that you have to other people (friends, family, acquaintances, or strangers) that are not based on your own perceived self-interest? People often behave in ways that benefit others, and they sometimes do this knowing that it will be costly, unpleasant or dangerous. Are their motives really altruistic, or is their behavior ultimately motivated by self-interest?Famously, Hobbes gave this answer: No man give but with intention of good to himself, because gift is voluntary; and of all voluntary acts, the object is to every man his own good; of which, if men see they shall be frustrated, there will be no beginning of benevolence or trust, nor consequently of mutual help. “Moral behavior is, at the most general level, altruistic behavior, motivated by the desire to promote not only our own welfare but the welfare of others.
(Rachels 2000: 81) If so, what are these moral (ethical) obligations and what are they based on? A duty is an obligation to act in a certain way. When the obligation is based on moral and ethical considerations, it is a moral duty. Often we think about moral duties in terms of rules that restrain us, the “don’ts,” as in don’t lie, cheat, or steal. Such rules comprise the so-called negative dimension of moral duty because they tell us what not to do.Since ethics is concerned with the way we ought to be, however, it also includes an affirmative dimension consisting of things we should do — keep promises, judge others fairly, treat people with respect, kindness and compassion. If not, does it follow that you do a kind of personal cost-benefit analysis every time you are required to make a decision about what to do or not do? (Notice that an affirmative answer to this question seems to undermine any possibility of genuinely altruistic actions.
When you do things from the heart personal cost-benefits should not play a factor. It defeat the purpose of wanting to help other’s if you think of your own personal gain sometimes it’s better to give then to receive. If I was had that mentality I be rich by now but I rather be rich at heart. Like my father he legendry lives on because of his act of kindness. If this is what you do, explain the kind of reasoning process that you go through. Can friendships and loving relations be genuine if they are based only on perceived self-interest?Self interest is an act of selfishness nothing is genuine if you only thought about yourself and the benefits you reap.
I come from a family that’s has a lot of love for other’s regardless to what their status quo were. It’s imperative that the circle of friends that I hang with has the same morality as me who has the same values as I do otherwise it’s not going to work. In life you go thru fazes of friendship but the loyal one’s with stick by you till the end of time and the one who are only for their self-interest will fade away.
