Caledonian2 comments on Fake Selfishness - Less Wrong

28 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 08 November 2007 02:31AM

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Comment author: Caledonian2 08 November 2007 12:28:19PM 1 point [-]

Selfishness - or to avoid confusion, let's call the concept 'self-interest' - takes on rather a different appearance when it's realized that the 'self' is not something necessarily limited to the boundaries of the physical form that embodies the distinction.

To the degree that we identify with and value the rest of humanity, sacrificing one's own existence to preserve the rest of humanity can be in the self-interest. To the degree that we don't, or that we negatively value the rest of humanity, that action can be against self-interest. If we disliked humanity enough, we'd choose to destroy it even if it cost us our own lives (which presumably we'd value) in the process.