The Varieties of Self-Interest

1990 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Epstein
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Inclusive Fitness ◽  
Individual Liberty ◽  
Limited Government ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Individual Self ◽  
And Behavior

In this paper, I want to explore the relationship between the various forms of individual self-interest and the appropriate structures of government. I shall begin with the former, and by degrees extend the analysis to the latter. I do so in order to mount a defense of principles of limited government, private property, and individual liberty. The ordinary analysis of self-interest treats it as though it were not only a given but also a constant of human nature, and thus makes few allowances for differences between persons. Yet common experience tells us that personality and behavior are as unique as fingerprints. The positive inquiry, therefore, is how we find what is constant about self-interest in a world of natural human diversity. The normative inquiry must take into account both the constant and variable features of human nature in order to determine what forms of social arrangements hold the greatest prospect of long-term social advantage. The gulf between ‘is’ and ‘ought’ must be overcome here, as it must be in all normative discourse. Yet we cannot make sensible judgments of what ought to be the case in the domain of rules unless we first have some idea of what is the case in the domain of behavior.The initial inquiry asks why self-interest (to be suitably qualified to take into account inclusive fitness) is regarded as a constant of human behavior. The explanation derives more from the biological and less from the social. The powerful pressures of natural selection weed out any organisms for whom (genetic) selfinterest is not the paramount consideration.

Liberty, Insecurity, and the Conceptual Foundations of Reassurance

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrique Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Law ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Individual Autonomy ◽  
Individual Liberty ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Liberal Societies ◽  
Individual Self ◽  
Conceptual Foundations

This chapter examines the ambivalent relation between individual liberty and insecurity in the conceptual framework of criminal law. It does so primarily through a critical examination of the political theory of Thomas Hobbes, using it as a lens through which to analyse problems in contemporary criminal law. The chapter argues that the way in which individual autonomy and liberty are conceptualized in modern and liberal thought implies that civil society is intrinsically vulnerable to individual self-interest, so that security ends up taking priority over liberty in the legal and political constitution of liberal societies. The chapter also explores the extent to which the social role and justification of the criminal law rely on this vulnerability.

scholarly journals Considering Autonomous Exploration in Healthy Environments: Reflections from an Urban Wildscape

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 11867
Author(s):  
Sarah Little ◽  
Art Rice
Keyword(s):  
Social Action ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Individual Development ◽  
Thick Description ◽  
Autonomous Exploration ◽  
The Social ◽  
Extraordinary Experiences ◽  
Developmental Experience ◽  
And Behavior

Autonomous exploration should be considered in the creation of healthy environments since autonomy is an important developmental experience for children. For a group of boys in Raleigh, N.C., U.S. during the period 2002–2006, autonomous exploration was a meaningful experience. Results of a qualitative research project (n = 5) which highlight the importance of autonomous exploration are organized within a proposed framework for thick description. The framework creates verisimilitude by reporting on the context, social action and cultural context, and behavior and intentionality. The context of Raleigh and urban wildscapes furnished areas ripe for exploration. The social action and cultural context of attachment supported the autonomous exploration through scaffolded experiences of autonomy. The intentionality of the behavior was a desire to distinct themselves through a focus on individual development and the pursuit of extraordinary experiences. The ultimate outcomes of autonomous exploration for the boys were the development of long-term, intimate friendships and confidence in their decision-making ability. As cities become more health-focused, attention should be paid to preserve the rough edges of a city for children to explore.

scholarly journals The Essence of the Concept of Responsibility

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 389
Author(s):  
Kristīne Ķinēna
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Human Science ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Business Economics ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Sense Of Obligation ◽  
Positive Results

Social responsibility is a concept used across many field, for example, business, economics, political science, social and human science, etc. In every country has been made development plan,which is related to citizen's social responsibility and envionmental front. Every human daily routine begins with a sense of obligation and resposibility and action. People do not understand their actions and behavior of the direct consequences on the environment, other people and to ourselves.Conversely, by understanding ourselves as social and natural part, you can expect a long term positive results in the formation of responsibility and joint resposibility.This article deals with the concept of accountability structure and its relationship to the social environment.

scholarly journals Understanding Human–Nature Connections Through Landscape Socialization

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 7593
Author(s):  
Li-Pei Peng
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Social Values ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Land Use Policies ◽  
Analytical Tools

Understanding the landscape socialization underpinning the human–nature relationship is essential because it can contribute to assisting us to reconnect with nature. Reconnecting to nature is increasingly recognized as positively contributing to health and well-being. This study aimed to understand people’s connections with nature through landscape socialization under different land use policies. The study assumed that social values, as perceived by residents, facilitates their landscape socialization. Using a questionnaire measuring sense of community and the Social Values for Ecosystem Services application as analytical tools, the study assessed how residents with varying educational attainment, sense of community, and grounded occupation differ in identifying with conservation- and recreation-oriented policy interventions. The results demonstrated the role of landscape socialization in how people connect with nature, and the landscape socialization as a result of long-term policy interventions may exert substantial effects on residents’ social values across various spatial scales. The results deepen the general understanding of system leverage points for creating inner connections to nature which can aid sustainability transformation.

Consumption Cleavages and Welfare Politics

1986 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 592-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Taylor-Gooby
Keyword(s):  
Political Action ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Relative Advantage ◽  
Political Behaviour ◽  
Private Property Rights ◽  
Political Ideas ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
A Minor

The rôle of consumption cleavages in influencing political behaviour has received a great deal of attention in recent years. This paper argues that some critics have misunderstood the approach as a theory about the direct influence of social circumstances on behaviour, rather than as a theory about the way in which people's perceptions of one another's positions in relation to the means of consumption are articulated by political parties to become bases for political action. Dunleavy has argued that ideas about self-interest in state and private consumption in relation to other people are of the greatest importance in this, while Saunders suggests that the security associated with private property rights has stronger influence. Both these claims are tested with data from a recent national survey. ‘Consumption sector’ is shown to play a minor but significant rôle in influencing ideas. Part of this influence appears to lie in the social meaning of private property, as Saunders claims. Comparisons of relative advantage across sectoral cleavages, however, contribute little to the explanation of political ideas.

scholarly journals Connect and Strive to Survive and Thrive: The Evolutionary Meaning of Communion and Agency

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd Chan ◽  
Iris Wang ◽  
Oscar Ybarra
Keyword(s):  
Social World ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Knowing How ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Behavior

Humans have a universal drive to understand other people’s intentions and behavior. From an evolutionary perspective, being perceptive about others in the social world—especially strangers—comes with a host of benefits that promote survival (Cosmides & Tooby, 1992). People need to decide whether a person poses a threat or an opportunity, and quickly and accurately enough. Fortunately, humans have a well-developed, parsimonious method for perceiving others, where individuals and situations that we encounter are quickly evaluated under two dimensions, known as communion and agency.In this chapter, we start by defining what these two fundamental dimensions refer to in the context of person evaluation, and we provide evidence that people, across culture and contexts, readily evaluate people with this communion-agency lens. Then, we explain how these two dimensions provide functional benefits in how effectively people can (a) connect with others and (b) reach one’s goals – two core human motivations related to survival. Finally, we illustrate how knowing how communal and agentic other people are can confer specific benefits for solving three recurring evolutionary challenges: acquiring status, long-term mating, and reproducing.

Economic (In)Equality and Democracy: The Political Economy of Poverty in Athens

2018 ◽  
pp. 344-375
Author(s):  
Claire Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Participatory Democracy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Democratic System ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter explores the relationship between participatory democracy and poverty in democratic Athens. Drawing on recent debates within Greek history and the social sciences, it examines the relationship between the economic prosperity of Athens and its democratic system, with particular emphasis on the role of direct democracy in the amelioration of poverty. Social scientists have frequently argued that democracy has a greater chance of success in wealthier polities, an idea which appears to have some application to the ancient world: Athens, for example, was undoubtedly affluent, had experienced long-term economic growth, had high wages and robust democratic institutions. However, much of this literature also betrays an anti-democratic/anti-poor rhetoric surprisingly familiar to historians of Athenian democracy (the poor are authoritarian, they lack intelligence, and are only interested in rule for their own redistributive self-interest etc). It also ignores those who are poor, plays down their participation in politics or fails to account for relative (in)equalities. This chapter, therefore, uses the Athenian experience to explore how participatory democracy can be used as a tool for social flourishing to empower, enrich and improve the capabilities and well-being of the poor.

Adam Smith's Faustian Bargain

2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-64
Author(s):  
Douglas K. Adie ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Private Property ◽  
Government Intervention ◽  
Adam Smith ◽  
First Century ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Social Stability ◽  
Individual Freedom ◽  
Free Enterprise ◽  
Individual Liberty ◽  
The Social

Adam Smith created a social model which subordinated faith to reason and reason to the instincts which, when released, drive the "system of natural liberty," facilitating peace, prosperity, and especially freedom. Smith's Faustian Bargain, which underlies the model, is to trade beneficence for self-preservation plus freedom. Without restraint, the social instincts would endanger private property and social stability. Smith recommends limited but effective government and a plethora of social devices, including a reconstituted, impotent collection of churches, to bolster morality and prevent instability. Transplanted to America, Smith's system and Biblical Christianity restrained immorality and allowed free enterprise to flourish yielding unprecedented freedom and prosperity. The decline of faith in the Biblical God and moral absolutes at the end of the nineteenth century upset the delicate balance between freedom and morality resulting in social problems not susceptible to voluntary solutions. Government intervention slowed economic growth and restricted individual freedom. Will a twenty-first century Biblical revival restore morality and permit once again the flourishing of individual liberty, or will government intervention continue to erode freedom?

How Climate Change Affects the Amazon Rainforest

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tegan McWhirter ◽  
Lisa Leung
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Economic Downturn ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Social ◽  
Major Loss ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
And Behavior

Climate change has a drastic impact on the structure and behavior of the amazon. Short-term effects of climate change are gradually creating more long-term effects that can be witnessed globally. Due to increased temperature, decreased precipitation and increased greenhouse gases, the amazon faces hazardous events such as droughts, forest fires, floods and vegetation differences. All of these events contribute to larger scale impacts on the amazon such as a major loss of biodiversity, and ultimately Amazon dieback. Forest feedback loops present the issue of how the Amazon is not only being affected by climate change but also how it is accelerating climate change. The environmental issues also negatively impact those living in the Amazon due to increased disease, famine, social unrest and economic downturn. This report outlines both the short and long-term impacts climate change has on the Amazon region as well as the social and economic impacts experienced by those living within the Amazon.

Generation Riester

2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 249-266
Author(s):  
Nikolaus Hueck
Keyword(s):  
Pension Plan ◽  
German Society ◽  
The State ◽  
The Self ◽  
Demographic Structure ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
History Of ◽  
State Pension

Abstract The shift in the demographic structure of German society results in an ever smaller amount of workers having to support an ever increasing number of pensioners. For this reason, it is necessary to revisit the so-called »generational contract«. A review of the history of this generational contract, from the biblical commandment to respect your elders through the social laws under Bismarck on to Adenauer‘s reform of pensions shows that the flaw of the state pension plan resides in the fact that the generational contract only governs the relations between those who are gainfully employed and those which are retired, without sufficiently takink into account children and the contribution made by families raising them. In this regard, it is only possible to ensure the long-term viability of the generational contract by correctly understanding the self-interest of all parties rather than by issuing calls for solidarity

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