Altruism as the desire to help others is fine and dandy. But who means that by altruism?
Uhm, almost everone?
I am not sure, because people typically don’t provide their definitions of words like “altruism” when they use them. They assume that everyone knows exactly what it means, and if you ask for a definition, that seems like trolling.
Everyone seems to mean that slave morality which states that working for the happiness of others is good, and working for your own happiness is evil.
That too, actually. Perhaps the word is usually used to mean a set of this all. You know, the wider the meaning, the greater the chance that at least some part of it can be defended successfully in a debate.
They assume that everyone knows exactly what it means,
Most importantly, themselves.
and if you ask for a definition, that seems like trolling.
Yes. If you suggest they’re conceptually muddled, instead of attempting to demonstrate their conceptual clarity, which should be trivial to do if they have it, they will get huffy and declare you a troll.
That too, actually. Perhaps the word is usually used to mean a set of this all. You know, the wider the meaning, the greater the chance that at least some part of it can be defended successfully in a debate.
That’s the true Dark Art. Endlessly equivocate on the meaning of your terms. It’s so dark, you can manipulate yourself into believing that you know what you’re talking about. See Rand and “life” for details.
Uhm, almost everone?
I am not sure, because people typically don’t provide their definitions of words like “altruism” when they use them. They assume that everyone knows exactly what it means, and if you ask for a definition, that seems like trolling.
That too, actually. Perhaps the word is usually used to mean a set of this all. You know, the wider the meaning, the greater the chance that at least some part of it can be defended successfully in a debate.
(Anti-epistemology as usual: oppose “tabooing” words, and only use narrow definitions for the things you don’t like.)
Most importantly, themselves.
Yes. If you suggest they’re conceptually muddled, instead of attempting to demonstrate their conceptual clarity, which should be trivial to do if they have it, they will get huffy and declare you a troll.
That’s the true Dark Art. Endlessly equivocate on the meaning of your terms. It’s so dark, you can manipulate yourself into believing that you know what you’re talking about. See Rand and “life” for details.