Self-Sacrifice

[Christopher]

If a man chooses values antithetical to his nature, he suffers the consequences. Yet, man cannot be forced to choose those values that are healthy for him.

When a man hierarchically values playing checkers over eating food, he may die (being so stupid). However, were his mother to force him to stop playing and eat, even though he did not believe eating was important, he would be sacrificing a greater value (playing checkers) for a lesser value (eating).

It is an interesting twist when one ponders the fact that self-sacrifice, even to achieve more objectively healthy values, is still sacrifice.

[Leonid]

If a man chooses values antithetical to his nature, he suffers the consequences. Yet, man cannot be forced to choose those values that are healthy for him.

When a man hierarchically values playing checkers over eating food, he may die (being so stupid). However, were his mother to force him to stop playing and eat, even though he did not believe eating was important, he would be sacrificing a greater value (playing checkers) for a lesser value (eating).

It is an interesting twist when one ponders the fact that self-sacrifice, even to achieve more objectively healthy values, is still sacrifice.

[Leonid]

"However, were his mother to force him to stop playing and eat, even though he did not believe eating was important, he would be sacrificing a greater value (playing checkers) for a lesser value (eating)."

How would he know which value is bigger and which is lesser if he negates the standard of value, that is his own life? The only epistimic tool which left to him is his arbitrary , subjective belief. In such an irrational situation no proper moral judgment could be made. Suicide bombers also believe that they exchange a lesser value (their own life) for a bigger one (72 virgins in paradise).

[psychoanaleesis]

Can't he be both playing and eating in the same period given? And who will he play with if his playmate would feel hungry and choose hunger over playing? As he can't be forced to eat, so he can't force his playmate to play.

If this person is even remotely rational and by that I mean he's not psychotic. Then he will surely sense the needs of his body and that his mind will eventually lose focus over playing checkers precisely because his biological needs are not met.

Man does not need self-sacrifice.

[Leonid]

"Can't he be both playing and eating in the same period given?"

Can't he realize that dead people don't play checkers?

Edited February 27, 2010 by Leonid