Selfishness

Selfishness

Selfishness denotes the precedence given in thought or deed to the self, i.e., self interest or self concern. It is the act of placing one's own needs or desires above the needs or desires of others. Selfishness is the opposite of altruism (Selflessness).

The implications of selfishness have inspired divergent views within religious, philosophical, psychological, economic and evolutionary contexts.

ee also

*Objectivist philosophy
*Egoism
*Egotism
*Enlightened self-interest
*Ethic of reciprocity (the 'Golden Rule')
*Generosity
*A Theory of Justice (by John Rawls)

References

*"Twilight of the Idols", Friedrich Nietzsche Penguin Classics; Reissue edition (February 15, 1990), ISBN 0140445145
* "The Evolution of Cooperation", Robert Axelrod, Basic Books, ISBN 0-465-02121-2
*"The Selfish Gene", Richard Dawkins (1990), second edition -- includes two chapters about the evolution of cooperation, ISBN 0-19-286092-5
*"The Virtue of Selfishness", Ayn Rand, ISBN 0451163931


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  • Selfishness — Self ish*ness, n. The quality or state of being selfish; exclusive regard to one s own interest or happiness; that supreme self love or self preference which leads a person to direct his purposes to the advancement of his own interest, power, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • selfishness — index greed Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • Selfishness — (Roget s Thesaurus) < N PARAG:Selfishness >N GRP: N 1 Sgm: N 1 selfishness selfishness &c. >Adj. Sgm: N 1 self love self love self indulgence self worship self interest Sgm: N 1 egotism egotism egoism Sgm: N 1 amour propre …   English dictionary for students

  • selfishness — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ pure, utter ▪ human PHRASES ▪ an act of selfishness ▪ an act of pure selfishness ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • selfishness — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Devotion to oneself Nouns 1. selfishness, self indulgence, self interest; egotism, egoism; vanity; nepotism; worldliness; egomania, megalomania; illiberality; meanness, parsimony. See malevolence. 2.… …   English dictionary for students

  • selfishness — egoizmas statusas T sritis Kūno kultūra ir sportas apibrėžtis Savimeilė, skatinanti rūpintis tik savo materialine ir dvasine gerove, kitų žmonių interesų nepaisymas, savanaudiškumas. kilmė pranc. égoisme< lot. ego – aš atitikmenys: angl.… …   Sporto terminų žodynas

  • selfishness — selfish ► ADJECTIVE ▪ concerned chiefly with one s own personal profit or pleasure at the expense of consideration for others. DERIVATIVES selfishly adverb selfishness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • selfishness — noun see selfish …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • selfishness — See selfishly. * * * …   Universalium

  • selfishness — noun the quality of being selfish, the condition of putting ones own interests before those of others …   Wiktionary

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