Agreed. If “selfish” means “pursuing things if and only if they accord with one’s own values”, then most people here would say that every value-pursuing agent is selfish by definition.
But, for that very reason (among other things), that definition is not a useful one. A useful definition of “selfish” is closer to “valuing oneself above all other things.” And this is not universally agreed to be good around here.
I might value myself a great deal, but it’s highly unlikely that I would, upon reflection, value myself over all other things. If I had to choose between destroying either myself or the entire rest of the universe (beyond the bare minimum that I need to stay alive), I would obliterate myself in an instant. I expect that most people here would make the same choice in the same situation.
Agreed. If “selfish” means “pursuing things if and only if they accord with one’s own values”, then most people here would say that every value-pursuing agent is selfish by definition.
But, for that very reason (among other things), that definition is not a useful one. A useful definition of “selfish” is closer to “valuing oneself above all other things.” And this is not universally agreed to be good around here.
I might value myself a great deal, but it’s highly unlikely that I would, upon reflection, value myself over all other things. If I had to choose between destroying either myself or the entire rest of the universe (beyond the bare minimum that I need to stay alive), I would obliterate myself in an instant. I expect that most people here would make the same choice in the same situation.