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Single Idea 9241
[filed under theme 23. Ethics / A. Egoism / 1. Ethical Egoism
]
Full Idea
Far from demonstrating a flaw in character or being a sign of weakness, coming to love oneself is the deepest and most essential - and by no means the most readily attainable - achievement of a serious and successful life.
Gist of Idea
Loving oneself is not a failing, but is essential to a successful life
Source
Harry G. Frankfurt (The Reasons of Love [2005], 2.14)
Book Ref
Frankfurt,Harry G.: 'The Reasons of Love' [Princeton 2006], p.68
A Reaction
Obviously it will be necessary to dilineate the healthy form of self-love, which Frankfurt attempts to do. Ruthless vanity and self-seeking certainly look like the worst possible weaknesses of character. With that proviso, he is right.
The
23 ideas
from Harry G. Frankfurt
20015
|
Freedom of action needs the agent to identify with their reason for acting
[Frankfurt, by Wilson/Schpall]
|
9264
|
Persons are distinguished by a capacity for second-order desires
[Frankfurt]
|
9265
|
The will is the effective desire which actually leads to an action
[Frankfurt]
|
9270
|
A 'wanton' is not a person, because they lack second-order volitions
[Frankfurt]
|
9266
|
A person essentially has second-order volitions, and not just second-order desires
[Frankfurt]
|
9267
|
Free will is the capacity to choose what sort of will you have
[Frankfurt]
|
9269
|
A person may be morally responsible without free will
[Frankfurt]
|
9232
|
It is by caring about things that we infuse the world with importance
[Frankfurt]
|
9233
|
Our criteria for evaluating how to live offer an answer to the problem
[Frankfurt]
|
9234
|
If you don't care about at least one thing, you can't find reasons to care about anything
[Frankfurt]
|
9227
|
We might not choose a very moral life, if the character or constitution was deficient
[Frankfurt]
|
9229
|
What is worthwhile for its own sake alone may be worth very little
[Frankfurt]
|
9228
|
Ranking order of desires reveals nothing, because none of them may be considered important
[Frankfurt]
|
9230
|
People want to fulfill their desires, but also for their desires to be sustained
[Frankfurt]
|
9231
|
Freedom needs autonomy (rather than causal independence) - embracing our own desires and choices
[Frankfurt]
|
9240
|
Love creates a necessity concerning what to care about
[Frankfurt]
|
9241
|
Loving oneself is not a failing, but is essential to a successful life
[Frankfurt]
|
9235
|
Rather than loving things because we value them, I think we value things because we love them
[Frankfurt]
|
9237
|
The paradigm case of pure love is not romantic, but that between parents and infants
[Frankfurt]
|
9236
|
Love can be cool, and it may not involve liking its object
[Frankfurt]
|
9238
|
Morality isn't based on reason; moral indignation is quite unlike disapproval of irrationality
[Frankfurt]
|
9239
|
I value my children for their sake, but I also value my love for them for its own sake
[Frankfurt]
|
9300
|
Boredom is serious, not just uncomfortable; it threatens our psychic survival
[Frankfurt]
|