Standard definitions of system 1 describe it as ‘instinctive’, but if you need a separate definition of instinctive responses, ‘untrained system 1 responses’ works.
At what point would you consider the widening circle to be “less selfish”? To favour your village over others, your country over others, humanity over animals; are these are all no less selfish? Is nothing unselfish but a life of exaninition and unceasing service to everyone and everything but oneself?
That depends. Any of those things can be unselfish, if you’re doing it because you think it’s a good thing to do independent of whether it’s an outcome/action you like, and the wider the circle the more likely that’s the motivation. If it’s based on ‘I like these people and want them to be happy, therefore I will take this action’ that’s still selfish.
Lest this sound like I’m saying anything that isn’t done for abstract reasons is selfish, I’d contrast it with things done for reasons of compassion. The lines there can get blurry when the people you’re feeling compassion for are in your ingroup, but things like the place-quarters-here-for-adorable-sad-children variety of charity are clearly trying to induce compassionate motivation (and it works).
From conversations I have had with my own parents (not as comprehensive or in-depth, but heartfelt), it seemed pretty clear that the parenting instinct is much more ‘these kids are mine and I will take care of them come hell or high water’ than a compassionate reflex.
Standard definitions of system 1 describe it as ‘instinctive’, but if you need a separate definition of instinctive responses, ‘untrained system 1 responses’ works.
That depends. Any of those things can be unselfish, if you’re doing it because you think it’s a good thing to do independent of whether it’s an outcome/action you like, and the wider the circle the more likely that’s the motivation. If it’s based on ‘I like these people and want them to be happy, therefore I will take this action’ that’s still selfish.
Lest this sound like I’m saying anything that isn’t done for abstract reasons is selfish, I’d contrast it with things done for reasons of compassion. The lines there can get blurry when the people you’re feeling compassion for are in your ingroup, but things like the place-quarters-here-for-adorable-sad-children variety of charity are clearly trying to induce compassionate motivation (and it works).
From conversations I have had with my own parents (not as comprehensive or in-depth, but heartfelt), it seemed pretty clear that the parenting instinct is much more ‘these kids are mine and I will take care of them come hell or high water’ than a compassionate reflex.