Are all actions selfish?

Answer 1

Good question, one that has tantalised philosophers for...well, you get the idea.

It begs a lot of questions, actually. For one thing, 'selfish' in this context is usually imagined to mean something like 'inclined to seek pleasure' or 'seeking self-gratification'. In that context, it's hard to see how, for example, a Palestinian suicide bomber's actions can be construed as 'selfish', since the bomber him/herself will not be around to enjoy his or her actions.

If you'd prefer a less contentious example, consider the Soviet firefighters and construction workers who attended the Chernobyl disaster. They knowingly entered a zone of fatal radioactivity in order to put out the fire or seal the building, and most of them died in agony a short while later. Unlike suicide bombers, most of them were not fanatical Muslims or deeply politicised Palestinians, and so could hardly be consoling themselves with the idea of a glorious afterlife. They did it to prevent a greater evil, but they would have known that they could never live to enjoy the benefits of their own actions. You could say much the same of the rescue workers at the World Trade Center in 2001. It can be argued that these people got a kick out of the idea that they were being self-sacrificing, or whatever, but I think that suggests a degree of premeditation that is a bit unlikely.

I don't think you can say that any action is utterly free of selfish motive, but I'd suggest that actions such as these demonstrate that it's unreasonable to assert that people always act for purely selfish motives.

Answer 2

When we say some action is selfish, by 'selfish' we mean, more or less, something like: 'an action intentionally made for one's own benefit, regardless of the impact it will have on others' (my own definition). From this we must assume that selfishness is rational and intentional. So, in that case, not all actions are selfish, but only those which we choose to be.
I can not consider every pleasure that we get from our actions an act of selfishness; we might do good to others because we feel good about ourselves, but if it's not the only reason why we act, then it is not selfish.

Answer 3

I think "selfish" oversimplifies things. We do things more with an agenda or at least an ulterior motive than an actual selfishness. We keep cattle and pgis and such alive yes, but we do so for our own benefit as well as their. We protect the environment, we do so because it would suck to see the world end, but we also do so because it would suck for us to die. Now there are those of us who would risk our lives for other people, but the end thought there is that we would worry how if we didn't try to save that person how that would affect us and what other people will think of us. And occassionally we do completely selfless acts, but I know speaking for myself there is the thought that maybe someone will notice how unselfish I can be or was at the time.
Ok, on second thought selfsih does seem like a good word for it.

Answer 4

No, you obviously haven't heard of the altruistic gene.

Those who carry the gene will put others before themselves.

Although most are selfish our societies cannot exist without the altruists.

Some seem to a misconception that if a display of altruism were to give personal satisfaction that this would somehow be a selfish act. This is not so and it seems the cynical viewpoint of the selfish gene carrier. Rather, an attempt to explain that which he/she cannot identify with. The concept of altruistic behaviour is alien to the selfish and vice versa.

An Israeli study concluded for example that Palestinian suicide bombers do not simply explode themselves (and others) to be in paradise.

Rather the suicide bomber gives his life for his fellow compatriots out of a sense of very dire injustice commit ed against his family and people. He feels that his sacrifice (and that of other bombers) will fight the enemy with what little they have and so ward off capitulation.

In WW2 European agents flew from England on (virtual) suicide missions (less than 50% survived). One cannot say that it is a selfish act to sacrifice ones one life for ones country.

There is an obvious example however where an act of giving to charity by a wealthy famous person only to seek maximum publicity (rather than anonymous donation) in order to increase the likely hood of more wealth could be seen as selfish (more of an investment than donation).

Answer 5

You have to analyse an an unselfish act. Consider a person who gives money to the poor. If said person feels good because he his helping sombody and no other reason it is an unselfish act. But, if the person gives the poor person money because he knowes he (the giver) will get satisfaction out of the action then it is selfish.

Answer 6

No. Look at anyone who is taking part in their community by physically caring for others or those people who are generating finances to assist others, their actions are by no means selfish.

Answer 7

no, but those that are, are selfish rather than selfless because one has carried them out without any consideration towards other people's feelings or whatever. they are carried out 'in spite of', as opposed to with hindsight to the person, situation or the circumstance, depending on how you see it

Answer 8

people nowdays are more selfish than they used to be its all money money money it seems to come before happiness for a lot of people you dont have to be wealthy to be really happy in life

Answer 9

Of course not. I think there is no such thing as: I would not give him or her the time of day.
I have never met a person to whom I would not give the time of day.

Answer 10

I think it's possible, even when we do something for someone else, it makes us feel good..or we wouldn't do it.