full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Mark Hopwood: How to know if you're being selfish (and whether or not that's bad)

Unscramble the Blue Letters


In the kcteihn at a friend's party, you're in the midst of a profound moral conundrum. Famous philosophers whisper advice in your ear. Utilitarian John Stuart Mill tlles you that one should always strive to bring about the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Aristotle reminds you of the importance of the virtues of generosity and justice. But Thomas Hobbes points out that "of all voluntary acts, the object is to every man his own good." In other words, human beings are irntelnhey selfish anyway. So why shouldn't you take the last cupcake for yourself?

This is actually one of philosophy's odlest qnuitesos. Not your cupcake dilemma— the question of whether or not human beings are inherently selfish. The idea that hmauns only act out of self-interest is known as psychological egoism, and there aren't many philosophers who endorse this extreme stance. There's simply too much evidence of humans sacrificing their self-interest, and sometimes their very leivs, for the sake of others. And seutids by psychologists have shown that even very yonug cdelihrn demonstrate helpful bivoaehr despite there being nothing in it for themselves.

Open Cloze


In the _______ at a friend's party, you're in the midst of a profound moral conundrum. Famous philosophers whisper advice in your ear. Utilitarian John Stuart Mill _____ you that one should always strive to bring about the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Aristotle reminds you of the importance of the virtues of generosity and justice. But Thomas Hobbes points out that "of all voluntary acts, the object is to every man his own good." In other words, human beings are __________ selfish anyway. So why shouldn't you take the last cupcake for yourself?

This is actually one of philosophy's ______ _________. Not your cupcake dilemma— the question of whether or not human beings are inherently selfish. The idea that ______ only act out of self-interest is known as psychological egoism, and there aren't many philosophers who endorse this extreme stance. There's simply too much evidence of humans sacrificing their self-interest, and sometimes their very _____, for the sake of others. And _______ by psychologists have shown that even very _____ ________ demonstrate helpful ________ despite there being nothing in it for themselves.

Solution


  1. lives
  2. questions
  3. behavior
  4. kitchen
  5. young
  6. inherently
  7. children
  8. tells
  9. oldest
  10. humans
  11. studies

Original Text


In the kitchen at a friend's party, you're in the midst of a profound moral conundrum. Famous philosophers whisper advice in your ear. Utilitarian John Stuart Mill tells you that one should always strive to bring about the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Aristotle reminds you of the importance of the virtues of generosity and justice. But Thomas Hobbes points out that "of all voluntary acts, the object is to every man his own good." In other words, human beings are inherently selfish anyway. So why shouldn't you take the last cupcake for yourself?

This is actually one of philosophy's oldest questions. Not your cupcake dilemma— the question of whether or not human beings are inherently selfish. The idea that humans only act out of self-interest is known as psychological egoism, and there aren't many philosophers who endorse this extreme stance. There's simply too much evidence of humans sacrificing their self-interest, and sometimes their very lives, for the sake of others. And studies by psychologists have shown that even very young children demonstrate helpful behavior despite there being nothing in it for themselves.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
human beings 2
inherently selfish 2
murdoch believes 2


Important Words


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  49. reminds
  50. sacrificing
  51. sake
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  53. shown
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  60. thomas
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