if someone accepted the Nobel Prize for Peace in October 1979 and decided to use this money award to construct a leprosarium, was he/she acting in her own interest? was he/she behaving selfishly
2007-06-28 16:17:57 · 4 answers · asked by 11 1 1 in Social Science ➔ Economics
The economic way of thinking assumes that people always behave selfishly, so any behavior which looks unselfish is actually the result of utility function that values altruism. It is perfect circular reasoning that can never be proved wrong because it is truth by assumption.
2007-06-28 20:53:12 · answer #1 · answered by meg 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh, the ol' Mother Teresa question. They were acting in their self interest. This also benefited others, so I think you can rule out the possibility of them being selfish.
2007-06-28 16:34:36 · answer #2 · answered by Citizen for President 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, she/he was acting in his/her own interest, but she wasn't selfish. The person would get a higher social status and would feel good, because their consciences would satisfy them, therefor he/she acted in his/her interest, but it wasn't selfish at all, because it helped other people greatly!
2007-07-02 03:15:09 · answer #3 · answered by Ben Benjamin Benny 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what the heck is a leprosarium???
2007-06-28 16:26:34 · answer #4 · answered by CF_ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋