Saturday, February 18, 2012

Superogation

Everyone makes decisions subjectively. Even when we are being objective we have some sense of subjectivity in what we say or do. One example is in how we define our selves socially. One theory of this is the looking glass self. We act based on what we think others think of us and act how we think others expect us to act. One may say that we are individuals and when I choose to wear a black hoodie it is because I want to not because anything anyone else says.  This is not the case. We are a social animal and as Aristotle says we need others to survive and be fully human. He may not have realized but this need to be with other people is so great that we even base all of our 'personal' decisions off of their opinions.

My question was if we judge the basis of what is duty and what is superogation subjectively then what is the point of discussing it objectively? The reason I have concluded is that we need to compare ourselves to others as it is in our nature. The only way we can define the world is through the eyes of others. We are not solitary creatures and since the beginning of our time here on Earth we have had to rely on others to help us get food, for services and now today, for everything. Overall we must compare even our subjective traits to others because otherwise they would not mean anything.

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