Benevolence Vs Self Love Analysis

In the past many philosophers have claim to the idea that there is an undeniable conflict between self-love and benevolence. Some, such as Thomas Hobbes and Niccolo Machiavelli have argued that time devoted to either self-love or benevolence is time drawn away from the other. For instance, they argue that time devoted to benevolence is the same as taking upon an injury to oneself to love thy neighbor. They argue that the opposite is also true. Their ideas are not without opposition however, and Bishop Joseph Butler argued openly against their ideas. Butler characterized the other philosophers as being out of touch with reality and lacking knowledge of human nature. He argues instead that human nature consists of four separate pieces working …show more content…
Conscience is therefore based on the two principles self-love and benevolence. When we determine the proper way to characterize a human being we reflect our perspectives on the actions being performed. We are able to develop a conscience that guide us direction-wise in seeking a sense of right and wrong. Butler states that conscience helps recognize that any ordinary person follow their sense of moral rightness and wrongness. Conscience makes it so a person can not view acts differing in nature the same as well. It allows reflectiveness through this viewing of past actions. An example of this would be if a person helps an individual in one instance, and harms a good-natured person in another, they can not view these acts the same. Good conscience leads a person to recognize the first act as good, and the second as one that is immoral. Self love is one’s concern for their well being in the long term. Thought egoists would state that they are equatable with desires for wealth, pleasure, power or fame, a key difference in Bishop’s theory is that he feels they are not to be equated. Bishop felt as if self-love should lead to security and long-term happiness for individuals, and the indulgences egoists related to this concept are immoral in nature. People who utilize elements of self-love engage in more productive activities such as love and respect …show more content…
It can include “evils” such as lust, greed and the other deadly sins, but at the same time can reflect desires to reproduce, reputation a need to socialize, and others. What is interesting about specific passions is their tug and pull with self-love and benevolence. It can either aid or hinder either of them.
Self-love receives aid from specific passions regarding desire to use talents, and yearning for respect and dignity from others. This interaction is not without its downsides however, as specific passions can harm self-love in various ways at well. Greed specifically is harmful as it relates to self-love. it can lead to overindulgence, such as a need or desire to drink, eat too much, or even become lazy. The way in which greed harms self-love is through a yearning for the indulgences. A lack of those indulgences, and a feeling of need for them leads to discomfort with one’s being.
Benevolence interacts with specific passions as well. Benevolence in combination with specific passions benefits human esteem for success. Furthermore it aids courage, and our contempt for vice. Contempt for vice is an especially important element considering it not only builds a quality person, but increases their resistance to temptation, and other evils. This allows the person to cement their