Does goodness really exist? Do people only do good things for

Let's break down what you're saying into its component parts:

> Do people only do good things for selfish reasons

I've seen this question asked before, and the short answer is: What defines a "selfish reason"? It's obvious that donating to a charity just to impress a potential date is selfish, but what about because you feel guilty over something and want to feel better? Because you parents raised you to do that sort of thing and you'd never thought to change that?

>or is everything subjective to the point that everything is not good to someone?

Does this directly relate to your first question? If I summon Dan, evil demon from the philosophy dimension, who disagrees with everything you do, would that negate a concept of "good" for you? Suppose he starts yelling at you as you drag someone off the train tracks.

Subjective. you cannot know what everyone genuinely believes, either for good or for bad

File: 50492_22716667957_6036_n.jpg (10KB, 200x180px) Image search: [Google]

10KB, 200x180px

If someone does something nice and it benefits him that's pretty good.

If someone does something nice and it doesn't benefit him its good.

Regardless of what you call it, doing good things for others is always appreciated and ultimately helps you as much as it helps other people. Selfish reasons or no, we should all try and do right by others. As long as good is being done, who really cares why?

>>2128878
>yfw you are really surprised that there are nice people on 4ch
I should really stop lurking /pol

>>2128633
>Does goodness really exist?
Well, the "exist" part is a bit complex. If you are talking about a metaphysical quality that makes a subject/object/action "good" - metaphysical "goodness" - there is no way to determine to which subjects/objects/actions it is attached (as all metaphysical concepts are untouchable to our experience, unless you agree with irrationalists), so it is impossible to determine what is objectively "good" (and whether "goodness" exists at all). However, "goodness" as an opinion does exist in the mind of people. The reason for that would, I assume, be the necessity of society for the individual, giving birth to standards of acceptable behaviour, virtues and values (things like "homeland" or "family", suspended only by faith in their worth), which brought forward the concept of "good". All "good" is is faith and opinion. As for that which cannot be considered not-good, that would be ataraxia (complete fulfillment of will). As for will, it has two parts - instinctive (self-preservation, physical needs.) and faith-based (the longing for material or spiritual objects to which we ascribe the mythic quality of happiness-bringing). Faith-based desires can be changed or eliminated, and instinctive desires can be overpowered by faith-based desires (martyrs). But this was a digression. The point is that the fulfillment of the subject's will cannot be considered not-good, and is for that reason practical good. However, I maintain that fulfillment of the subject's will is allowed for by the whole society accepting ethics and the notion of "good" (watch your back in a society of egoists). And for that reason, the myth of inherent worth of humans along with the myth of the worth of state (which brings forward obedience of law and work for the collective good) is a constructed, practical "good", and it is necessary to maintain it and honestly believe in it (which has the added benefit of granting pleasure for actions in accordance with that belief).

>>2128633
>Does goodness really exist?
no
>Do people only do good things for selfish reasons,
yes
>or is everything subjective to the point that everything is not good to someone?
yes and that's why goodness doesn't exist

>>2128992
/pol/ is a cesspool of idiots ready to blame boogy man for all of life's problems when the true source of their misery could be found in a mirror.

All of that hatred that they show to others is just a symptom of the self loathing that they're too afraid to face.

>>2128633
>Do people only do good things for selfish reasons
All human behaviour is not reductible solely to pleasure-equations.

>>2129065
Ignorant tool.

>>2128633
Goodness exists in true selflessness. People will say that that doesn't exist, yet there are recorded cases of people knowingly laying down their lives for the sake of others.