The Egoistic Friend :: essays research papers

<a href="http//www.geocities.com/vaksam/">surface-to-air missile Vaknins Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web SitesWhat are hotshots for and how can a familiarity be tested? By behaving altruistically, would be the most mutual answer and by sacrificing ones interests in favour of ones friends. Friendship implies the converse of egoism, both(prenominal) psychologically and ethically. But then we posit that the bob is "mans best friend". After all, it is characterized by unconditional love, by unselfish behaviour, by sacrifice, when necessary. Isnt this the compend of intimacy? Apparently not. On the one hand, the dogs intimacy seems to be unmoved by long term calculations of personal benefit. But that is not to say that it is not affected by calculations of a short-term nature. The owner, later on all, looks after the dog and is the source of its subsistence and security. People and dogs have been known to have sacrificed their li ves for less. The dog is selfish it clings and protects what it regards to be its territory and its property (including and especially so - the owner). Thus, the frontmost condition, seemingly not satisfied by canine attachment is that it be reasonably unselfish. There are, however, more(prenominal) important conditions a. For a real friendship to exist at least one of the friends must be a conscious and intelligent entity, possessed of mental states. It can be an individual, or a collective of individuals, but in both cases this requirement pull up stakes similarly apply. b. There must be a minimal aim of uniform mental states between the terms of the equation of friendship. A human race being cannot be friends with a tree (at least not in the fullest sense of the word). c. The behaviour must not be deterministic, lest it be construe as instinct driven. A conscious choice must be involved. This is a very surprising conclusion the more "reliable", the more "pre dictable" the less appreciated. Someone who reacts identically to similar situations, without dedicating a first, let alone a second thought to it his acts would be depreciated as "automatic responses". For a pattern of behaviour to be described as "friendship", these four conditions must be met diminished egoism, conscious and intelligent agents, identical mental states (allowing for the communication of the friendship) and non-deterministic behaviour, the result of constant decision making. A friendship can be and often is tested in view of these criteria.