X-Message-Number: 32128
From: 
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:35:43 EST
Subject: tautology

I wrote:
 
> >There is never any conscious self sacrifice, only the sacrifice  of  
> >one want in favor of another. You may sacrifice your  life for 
>>someone or   something you  hold dear, but if  the choice is a 
>>conscious one that simply  means that, at that  time  and place, 
>>you calculate more pain or less  satisfaction in making  the  
>>superficially "selfish" choice.

DSS wrote:
 
>This is a tautology.


Not so, as I have discussed in YOUNIVERSE. Part of the refutation 
of the "tautology" charge is in the recognition that my viewpoint is 
useful, providing incentive to examine more closely the genesis  or 
bases of your choices, conscious and otherwise. 
 
 
As for evolutionary psychology, some of it is complicated and
doubtful, while some is obvious and unquestionable--for example,
it was an evolutionary necessity that parents be disposed to
take risks or/and make sacrifices for their children.
 
 
A remark on the matter of unconscious choice and action
before conscious decision. Choices can occur in several
ways, and unconscious choices e.g. can arise through
mechanisms including mere habit or accident. But conscious
choices do indubitably often occur, and making them
correctly can be vital. Through conscious choices we can
also train ourselves to make more appropriate unconscious
choices.
 
 
The main point, once more, is that it can be extremely useful,
even life-saving, to review your habits of behavior and inquire
whether they serve your real and justifiable interests.
 
 
Robert Ettinger




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