Selfishness and Altruism

On the basis the definitions previously proposed here, the 'Spatio-Temporality' of Experience consists in a combination of two processes--self-extending and self-retaining, with, as a special case of the former, extending oneself towards others. How the two processes happen to combine varies according to circumstance, so the primary function here of an Ethical principle is not to advocate one or the other, but to promote the achieving of a balance between self-oriented and other-oriented tendencies. An example of the potential value of this model is its application to the traditional Selfishness vs. Altruism debate, one which is not merely an academic exercise, but which continues to profoundly influence current affairs in this society. The resolution of the debate, according to the model, is to achieve a balance between the two principles, e. g. to be as generous as possible without overextending oneself. The model also exposes one chronic flaw of the debate--the lack of recognition, by both sides, that the tendency to extend oneself is a natural impulse, a lack which reinforces both the premise that Selfishness is the exclusive natural behavioral principle, and the premise that Altruism is a non-natural principle, both of which have regularly fueled the debate.