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I'm in intro to philosophy in college, and I'm having some problems on a prompt. In the essay we're trying to experiment to see if there is a completely selfless act. To do this, we attempt to do one ourselfs.
Part of the prompt reads "First, put on your best "positive disposition" and "meet" some "new people." For your essay, choose someone who appears quite "different" from you—do not choose anyone on campus, and do not choose cashiers, waiters, etc., or anyone else involving brief economic transactions. "
I've got the bulk of my essay written, explaining how my act wasn't selfless because of my intentions. Namely, the assignment of the essay and the consequences if I didn't comply, interfere with the fact that the act was supposed to be selfless. I can't do a selfless act for an assignment.
Never mind all that though, because I can't even think of a selfless act I can do. Any suggestions?
I can't know the person well. And I can't just try to pay for someone's groceries. I want to do a one on one act, instead of volunteering at a shelter or something of that nature. Some little thing that might make a person's day better. I'm not asking to change someone's life, just to pay it forward.
Any help?
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Philosophy essay... any way to volenteer selflessly?
#1
digitalbecks 
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Posted 27 April 2009 - 12:56 AM
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#2
The Illusionist
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Posted 27 April 2009 - 06:41 AM
I like the idea of an "Assigned Selfless Act" doesn't exist - I was getting all fired up to say something along those lines before I saw you beat me to it 
Anyways... Traditionally, a truly selfless act is that of saving the life of a stranger at the cost of your own - I sincerely do NOT recommend that you make this your intention for the day!
What I hoped to highlight, however, is the severity of the act. There is no benefit to the person who dies from almost any point of view - even evolutionarily, it's probably BETTER to let a stranger die, because that ensures more resources for you and your own kind - and even if there were, they would not be around to experience any such benefits.
It's in this last part that I would argue makes an act selfless - are you expecting on any kind of reward for your action? While you can go along deeply routed Xanatos Roulettes about how something might potentially affect yourself in the future, I'd say that the average person is selfless because they do not expect to be rewarded for it, even if the later actions of others prove otherwise.
The act *might* eventually have positive results, but the person who doesn't expect to get them is still a selfless person - they do something good for someone else just because they might think that it's not for their own benefit in any way.
Kind of like the importance of 'intent' defining the difference between legal charges of Murder-1 and Murder-2; one makes you a murderer, one makes you a Manslaughterer. The outcome of the act is still the same (for the 'victim'), but the originator of the act will potentially be viewed and treated in a much more sympathetic way.
So arguably there's your answer - go out and do something nice to someone else, and don't expect to be rewarded for it. If it later on DOES come back to benefit you, you can always refuse the 'reward' as a second selfless act. Good deeds being their own reward, and all that
Anyways... Traditionally, a truly selfless act is that of saving the life of a stranger at the cost of your own - I sincerely do NOT recommend that you make this your intention for the day!
What I hoped to highlight, however, is the severity of the act. There is no benefit to the person who dies from almost any point of view - even evolutionarily, it's probably BETTER to let a stranger die, because that ensures more resources for you and your own kind - and even if there were, they would not be around to experience any such benefits.
It's in this last part that I would argue makes an act selfless - are you expecting on any kind of reward for your action? While you can go along deeply routed Xanatos Roulettes about how something might potentially affect yourself in the future, I'd say that the average person is selfless because they do not expect to be rewarded for it, even if the later actions of others prove otherwise.
The act *might* eventually have positive results, but the person who doesn't expect to get them is still a selfless person - they do something good for someone else just because they might think that it's not for their own benefit in any way.
Kind of like the importance of 'intent' defining the difference between legal charges of Murder-1 and Murder-2; one makes you a murderer, one makes you a Manslaughterer. The outcome of the act is still the same (for the 'victim'), but the originator of the act will potentially be viewed and treated in a much more sympathetic way.
So arguably there's your answer - go out and do something nice to someone else, and don't expect to be rewarded for it. If it later on DOES come back to benefit you, you can always refuse the 'reward' as a second selfless act. Good deeds being their own reward, and all that
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#3
Katesickle
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Posted 27 April 2009 - 05:26 PM
In order for an act to be selfless, you can't benefit from it at all--if you see any positive reason for doing an act, then it probably isn't selfless. I would even go so far as to say that death can be a non-selfless act, if you believe your death is for something important. Even though you personally would not live to see the benefit of your actions, you are still dying for something which you care about. If a mother dies to save her children, she does so because her children mean so much to her, that death is an agreeable price for their survival. If a soldier throws himself onto a grenade, he does so knowing that his death will save the lives of people he loves--people who will now be able to continue fighting for a cause which he believes is worth dying for. These kinds of deaths are acts of heroism and love, but I would not call them selfless.
To me, a selfless act is one which you gain nothing from, and which you can see no good in doing. A mother dying to save her child's murderer would be acting selflessly--she does not love the murderer, and does not see his life as more valuable than hers. A soldier dying to save the enemy who intends to destroy his home would be acting selflessly, because he would be ignoring the things he cares about most in favor of something he loathes.
To me, a selfless act is one which you gain nothing from, and which you can see no good in doing. A mother dying to save her child's murderer would be acting selflessly--she does not love the murderer, and does not see his life as more valuable than hers. A soldier dying to save the enemy who intends to destroy his home would be acting selflessly, because he would be ignoring the things he cares about most in favor of something he loathes.
Nothing is an accident
We are free to have it all
We are what we want to be
It's in ourselves to rise or fall
We are free to have it all
We are what we want to be
It's in ourselves to rise or fall
#4
digitalbecks
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Posted 28 April 2009 - 11:01 PM
Here we go - it's most likely a bit narrative for the class... I'm not in a creative writing, I'm in Philosophy. But I think it answers the prompt. I've already turned it in, so please critique away.
I walked into Main Street Coffee bar with a heavy weight on my shoulders; do a selfless act and write an essay about it. I ordered my coffee, a tall café Durant, and took a seat at the tall table near the main door to the dive bar. The Flobot’s “Handlebars” played softly over the sound system, and an old woman sitting two tables to my left complained about the ‘noise’.
“I hate this song,” she began. “Rap isn’t music.”
I shared a look of disgust with the barista. “Actually, rap is music,” I objected quietly to myself. The barista obliged the woman and changed the song for her to Kermit the Frog’s rendition of “The Rainbow Connection”.
I spread a plethora of works before me; the words of Neitzche, Kant, and Bentham and the wisdom from the Dalai Lama and Plato. Orange and blue highlighted lines jumped out of the page at me, but still no inspiration… Who knew that acting selflessly was so difficult? And then it came to me. There is no selfless act that I am capable of. If I am “acting selflessly” to fulfill a requirement for an essay, I am not acting selflessly. According to Kant, my act is not moral because I am thinking about consequences. If I don’t do a selfless act, I cannot write a paper for Philosophy, and if I don’t write a paper, my grade might suffer. To be moral, my categorical imperative must be pure. The deontological approach also argues my act is not moral, because my maxim only uses other people as a means to an end.
While pondering this approach, an old woman interrupted my thought process to ask me for a pen. Hurried to get back to my work, I held up my Uni-ball Vision Needle at her. She struggled to stand slowly and retrieve it. Exasperated and desperate to get back to my work, I quickly stood to bring it to her. I met her more than halfway across the floor and handed her my pen. She explained how she needed the exercise, but didn’t have her cane with her. She scribbled a name down on the back of a business card. Then she returned the pen to my hand, thanked me, and returned to her own table near the wall. As she hobbled to her table, I was surprised to notice my genuine happiness at aiding her. My compassion for this woman became sincere. On her way out the door she thanked me again for my pen. “Anytime,” I replied genuinely. She walked toward the door at a snail's pace. I stood without hesitation and opened the door for the woman.
“My name is Ethel,” she told me as she left.
“Rebecca.” I replied. “It’s very nice to meet you, Ethel.”
Moments later, I was writing with fervor about the experience. The Dalai Lama states “When our intentions toward others are good, we find that any feelings of shyness or insecurity we may have are greatly reduced. To the extent that we are able to open this inner door, we experience a sense of liberation from our habitual preoccupation with self. Paradoxically, we find this gives rise to strong feelings of confidence” (75). In my instance, my actions to Ethel cleared the fog for my mind to think clearly about my paper. I was insecure about what to write about, but after meeting Ethel, I regained confidence. I didn’t treat Ethel as a means to an end. I wasn’t helping her purely to write my essay, I was helping her because it was the right thing to do. My intention was pure, and my experience verifies the Dalai Lama's specific, as well as overall, philosophical message.
The struggle for me was to relate to Ethel. To overcome this, I began to notice that “If we can begin to relate to others on the basis of equanimity, our compassion will not depend of the fact that so-and-so is my husband, my wife, my relative, my friend. Rather, a feeling of closeness toward all others can be developed based on the simple recognition that, just like myself, all wish to be happy and avoid suffering” (127). We’re all connected on some level. Though Ethel and I had opposite views on music, we were both women trying to overcome a handicap. Her handicap may have been physical, while mine was psychological, but we were still connected by the concept of dependent origination as defined by the Dalai Lama. This is to say that “no thing or event can be construed as capable of coming into, or remaining in, existence by itself. […] all phenomena can be understood as dependently originated because, when we analyze them, we find that, ultimately, they lack independent identity” (36, 37). I fought to be independent of Ethel, but could not succeed. My compassion for her was complex and intrinsically linked, even though we didn’t know each other. “We tend to reserve [loving-kindness] for those closest to us. We are biased toward our families and friends” (69) Yet when I opened the door for her, I didn’t expect anything in return. I will most likely never see her again.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say I have found eternal happiness in this, but now I actively seek opportunities to help others. When I reach beyond my own self interest, I can find joy. Ultimately, every human being seeks happiness. So to those who say I’m being as unrealistic as Kermit the Frog singing “The Rainbow Connection”, the Dalai Lama and I both suggest that they do their own experiment. “They will discover that when we reach beyond the confines of narrow self-interest, our hearts become filled with strength. Peace and joy become our constant companion. […] But most important, where love of one’s neighbor, affection, kindness, and compassion live, we find that ethical conduct is automatic” (131). The completely selfless act comes out of compassion. With this in mind, humanity may be able to find the rainbow connection that Kermit sings about.
Wow, it's so CAMPY. I'm gonna vom.
I barely fit the one page maximum requirement. I had to use Arial Narrow to get it down. I hate, more than anything, papers that have a maximum of anything less than 3 pages. How am I supposed to compose and get across the ideas of countless centuries of philosophers and mankind in three pages? Gah.
I walked into Main Street Coffee bar with a heavy weight on my shoulders; do a selfless act and write an essay about it. I ordered my coffee, a tall café Durant, and took a seat at the tall table near the main door to the dive bar. The Flobot’s “Handlebars” played softly over the sound system, and an old woman sitting two tables to my left complained about the ‘noise’.
“I hate this song,” she began. “Rap isn’t music.”
I shared a look of disgust with the barista. “Actually, rap is music,” I objected quietly to myself. The barista obliged the woman and changed the song for her to Kermit the Frog’s rendition of “The Rainbow Connection”.
I spread a plethora of works before me; the words of Neitzche, Kant, and Bentham and the wisdom from the Dalai Lama and Plato. Orange and blue highlighted lines jumped out of the page at me, but still no inspiration… Who knew that acting selflessly was so difficult? And then it came to me. There is no selfless act that I am capable of. If I am “acting selflessly” to fulfill a requirement for an essay, I am not acting selflessly. According to Kant, my act is not moral because I am thinking about consequences. If I don’t do a selfless act, I cannot write a paper for Philosophy, and if I don’t write a paper, my grade might suffer. To be moral, my categorical imperative must be pure. The deontological approach also argues my act is not moral, because my maxim only uses other people as a means to an end.
While pondering this approach, an old woman interrupted my thought process to ask me for a pen. Hurried to get back to my work, I held up my Uni-ball Vision Needle at her. She struggled to stand slowly and retrieve it. Exasperated and desperate to get back to my work, I quickly stood to bring it to her. I met her more than halfway across the floor and handed her my pen. She explained how she needed the exercise, but didn’t have her cane with her. She scribbled a name down on the back of a business card. Then she returned the pen to my hand, thanked me, and returned to her own table near the wall. As she hobbled to her table, I was surprised to notice my genuine happiness at aiding her. My compassion for this woman became sincere. On her way out the door she thanked me again for my pen. “Anytime,” I replied genuinely. She walked toward the door at a snail's pace. I stood without hesitation and opened the door for the woman.
“My name is Ethel,” she told me as she left.
“Rebecca.” I replied. “It’s very nice to meet you, Ethel.”
Moments later, I was writing with fervor about the experience. The Dalai Lama states “When our intentions toward others are good, we find that any feelings of shyness or insecurity we may have are greatly reduced. To the extent that we are able to open this inner door, we experience a sense of liberation from our habitual preoccupation with self. Paradoxically, we find this gives rise to strong feelings of confidence” (75). In my instance, my actions to Ethel cleared the fog for my mind to think clearly about my paper. I was insecure about what to write about, but after meeting Ethel, I regained confidence. I didn’t treat Ethel as a means to an end. I wasn’t helping her purely to write my essay, I was helping her because it was the right thing to do. My intention was pure, and my experience verifies the Dalai Lama's specific, as well as overall, philosophical message.
The struggle for me was to relate to Ethel. To overcome this, I began to notice that “If we can begin to relate to others on the basis of equanimity, our compassion will not depend of the fact that so-and-so is my husband, my wife, my relative, my friend. Rather, a feeling of closeness toward all others can be developed based on the simple recognition that, just like myself, all wish to be happy and avoid suffering” (127). We’re all connected on some level. Though Ethel and I had opposite views on music, we were both women trying to overcome a handicap. Her handicap may have been physical, while mine was psychological, but we were still connected by the concept of dependent origination as defined by the Dalai Lama. This is to say that “no thing or event can be construed as capable of coming into, or remaining in, existence by itself. […] all phenomena can be understood as dependently originated because, when we analyze them, we find that, ultimately, they lack independent identity” (36, 37). I fought to be independent of Ethel, but could not succeed. My compassion for her was complex and intrinsically linked, even though we didn’t know each other. “We tend to reserve [loving-kindness] for those closest to us. We are biased toward our families and friends” (69) Yet when I opened the door for her, I didn’t expect anything in return. I will most likely never see her again.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say I have found eternal happiness in this, but now I actively seek opportunities to help others. When I reach beyond my own self interest, I can find joy. Ultimately, every human being seeks happiness. So to those who say I’m being as unrealistic as Kermit the Frog singing “The Rainbow Connection”, the Dalai Lama and I both suggest that they do their own experiment. “They will discover that when we reach beyond the confines of narrow self-interest, our hearts become filled with strength. Peace and joy become our constant companion. […] But most important, where love of one’s neighbor, affection, kindness, and compassion live, we find that ethical conduct is automatic” (131). The completely selfless act comes out of compassion. With this in mind, humanity may be able to find the rainbow connection that Kermit sings about.
Wow, it's so CAMPY. I'm gonna vom.
I barely fit the one page maximum requirement. I had to use Arial Narrow to get it down. I hate, more than anything, papers that have a maximum of anything less than 3 pages. How am I supposed to compose and get across the ideas of countless centuries of philosophers and mankind in three pages? Gah.
I am, as I always was and ever shall be, yours.
#5
Toreshi
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Posted 29 April 2009 - 01:46 PM
Without reading the other replies, here's my 
I don't think there is such a thing as a completely selfless act. My reasoning behind this is that even when you're doing something that seems completely 'selfless', there are psychological gratification undertones to it.
Stay with me. Say you go to the grocery store and you see a single mom with three kids at the cashier who has just realized that she doesn't have the money to buy the milk, bread, and veggies she's trying to purchase. You feel bad for her and swoop in, all heroic, and pay for her groceries.
You'd think that it's a selfless act, right? You just gave this woman something for nothing, helping her out and expecting nothing in return.
Except that you DO get something in return. You get the feeling of having helped someone out. You get to avoid feeling bad if you ignore the woman's pain. You do it, not only for her, but for your own peace of mind.
So it's not selfless, you see?
I don't think there is such a thing as a completely selfless act. My reasoning behind this is that even when you're doing something that seems completely 'selfless', there are psychological gratification undertones to it.
Stay with me. Say you go to the grocery store and you see a single mom with three kids at the cashier who has just realized that she doesn't have the money to buy the milk, bread, and veggies she's trying to purchase. You feel bad for her and swoop in, all heroic, and pay for her groceries.
You'd think that it's a selfless act, right? You just gave this woman something for nothing, helping her out and expecting nothing in return.
Except that you DO get something in return. You get the feeling of having helped someone out. You get to avoid feeling bad if you ignore the woman's pain. You do it, not only for her, but for your own peace of mind.
So it's not selfless, you see?
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#6
digitalbecks
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Posted 29 April 2009 - 04:37 PM
Agreed. You can always get self satisfaction for doing a deed - leading me to believe there is not selfless act.
I am, as I always was and ever shall be, yours.
#7
munchoboy
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Posted 25 June 2009 - 01:48 PM
QUOTE (digitalbecks @ Apr 29 2009, 05:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Agreed. You can always get self satisfaction for doing a deed - leading me to believe there is not selfless act.
I concur. I try to do a lot of nice things each day, and always attempt to consider the "other" in my interactions, but I see that for what it is, and altruism it ain't.
Furthermore as an ethical egoist I believe that all moral actions are done out of informed self-interest. Since selfishness (as previously defined) is the highest virtue of ethical egoism, an act of true altruism (whatever it may be) just can't exist.
Regardless, kudos to you for the undertaking! *thumbs up*
This post has been edited by munchoboy: 25 June 2009 - 01:50 PM
Badgers are NOT Nature's firefighters.
True story.
True story.
#8
Joe Dalton
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Posted 09 July 2009 - 03:53 AM
QUOTE (Toreshi @ Apr 29 2009, 01:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Except that you DO get something in return. You get the feeling of having helped someone out. You get to avoid feeling bad if you ignore the woman's pain. You do it, not only for her, but for your own peace of mind.
So it's not selfless, you see?
So it's not selfless, you see?
What if don't care if others suffer and follow it by bitchslapping them? If I do it then it's selfless as I won't experience joy from helping them nor will I gain a better social standing.
Won't you have some fun with me?
I'll be damned if I'm taking the stairs--the elevator was out of service once, I called in sick - someone with great wisdom.
Clearly you are wrong, proof of this is that you disagree with me.
I'm not crazy, I'm just very creative with my sanity.
I'll be damned if I'm taking the stairs--the elevator was out of service once, I called in sick - someone with great wisdom.
Clearly you are wrong, proof of this is that you disagree with me.
I'm not crazy, I'm just very creative with my sanity.
#9
Orelinde
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Posted 09 July 2009 - 09:09 AM
QUOTE (Toreshi @ Apr 29 2009, 02:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Except that you DO get something in return. You get the feeling of having helped someone out. You get to avoid feeling bad if you ignore the woman's pain. You do it, not only for her, but for your own peace of mind.
So it's not selfless, you see?
So it's not selfless, you see?
I think as long as you're not doing FOR that feeling of good and the only idea you had in your head/heart was to help the person out, then it is selfless.
"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you're all the same."
- Jonathan Davis
I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
Youre so close to me that you nearly died
- Jonathan Davis
I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
Youre so close to me that you nearly died
#10
Jack.a.Gamer
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Posted 25 August 2009 - 10:51 AM
I vaguely remember having to write on an almost identical prompt (it's been probably 3 to 4 years). I remember hitting the same personal gratification=not a selfless act. My answer was the opening the door, but the kicker is that I didn't feel good after I did it. Why didn't I feel anything? Simple, my parents had preconditioned me to hold open doors as a child. So, if you ask me the only way you can perform any completely selfless act is if it's unconscious.
J
J
This post has been edited by Jack.a.Gamer: 25 August 2009 - 11:00 AM
Wait What?
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