From selfishness to self-love according to Aristotle

Aristotle once said “he has asked himself whether it is better to love oneself in preference to everything else or whether it is better to love another.” This wise Greek philosopher postulated a unique vision of selfishness and its intimate relationship with self-love.. Do you think we know a little more about his unique deduction?

Before continuing, say that we are going to focus on his famous work “Moral a Nicomano”. To be more specific, we will go directly to Chapter VIII of the ninth book, which he titled “On selfishness or self-love.”

Love for oneself or self-love according to Aristotle

Throughout this chapter of Aristotle’s extensive work, the philosopher unravels with deductive labor what he considers a virtuous man should be. In this work, the author focuses on the comparison between self-love or self-love and selfishness.

This philosopher considers that real facts contradict theories of selfishness. While it is true that loving one’s best friend is virtuous, he also believes that oneself is the best friend one can have. That is you are your best friend. So, he wonders, is it selfish to love you? Obviously, the closest relationship you can have in life is with yourself. After all, who do we live with for 24 hours a day and who do we have to put up with regardless of their mood?

The two kinds of selfishness stipulated by Aristotle

Once the philosopher establishes the precepts of self-love, he launches into the explanation of the two meanings found in selfishness. Although he considers that the term has a pejorative and shameful aspect, he also believes that there is a much higher variable.

The first type of selfishness that Aristotle shows focuses on the love of earthly things. The philosopher equates this way of acting with that of the people, that is, to that of the majority, which he calls the vulgar. Without a doubt, this is the result of an excessively classist society like that of ancient Greece.

In this case, Aristotle identifies this first type of selfishness as the most intense anxiety for bodily pleasures.. That is to say, these people keep the greatest wealth, honors and goods for themselves. They find true devotion in accumulating material things, the more precious the better. That is, his only purpose is to satisfy his desires and passions, which he considers to be listening to the most irrational part of the soul. He observes it as a vulgar, deplorable and very widespread custom. As such, it would be a reprehensible attitude.

But later, The classical philosopher believes that those men, who are guided by the highest levels of justice and wisdom, are also selfish.. However, they are people who seek virtue, good work and beauty. He finds nothing objectionable in this attitude.

Selfishness gives way to self-love

We continue talking about this second type of selfishness that Aristotle considers. ¿How not to call a person devoted body and soul to the search for wisdom, justice and beauty selfish?? They also need to satisfy their own needs and it is their only goal in life.

However, the philosopher attributes great value to these beings. That is considers the good man the most selfish of all. But this selfishness is not insulting, but noble. It is not vulgar, because it is reason that dominates it. It will never be passion, as happens in the aforementioned case, only based on material things.

According to Aristotle, These noble but selfish men direct their efforts to practicing virtue, for that is where they find joy.. And this attitude ends up enriching the entire community. This is how they discover both personal benefit and service to others.

For the Greek philosophervirtue is the highest of all goods that can be possessed. Thus, while the virtuous man does what he owes and acts with intelligence and reason, the evil man does so with profound discord between his duty and what he actually does.

In conclusion

It can be concluded that Aristotle considers the good and noble man to be selfish.. But from his virtue and righteous conduct come gifts that his friends, his country, and his own community enjoy. He is a committed person who despises material wealth, but enjoys the benefit of honor and dignity.

For a person like Aristotle, The righteous man prefers to enjoy a second of pleasure rather than a life of indignity.. He is generous and sacrificed when required. He will be able to abandon everything for those who need it. He will have no problem giving up the glory of an act to someone else. That is, he is someone who knows how to be selfish and. at the same time, a being with high self-love.

Final debate

Is the selfishness that Aristotle talks about synonymous with altruism? We observe that it is a selfishness of giving to others, a selfishness that benefits others. Could Aristotle be telling us that a selfish act hides behind altruism? Altruism is benefiting others without receiving anything in return, but do we really receive nothing? We can receive happiness by knowing that we have created well-being. We can receive a smile.

If we really received nothing, would we be altruistic? Many times we have carried out some action without expecting anything in return and we have not been thanked. Despite not expecting anything, not receiving at least thanks has made us uncomfortable. Therefore, it may be worth considering whether behind altruism lies selfishness for oneself that seeks material or emotional self-benefit.

However, although a certain type of selfishness may hide behind actions that benefit beings, we should not stop carrying them out. If selfishness helps us be more generous with others, go for it! The important thing is to help, benefit, create happiness.

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