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Silversoul
Rhizome
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Posts: 23,576
Loc: The Barricades
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Actions and Motivations
#4553728 - 08/18/05 10:16 PM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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Does motivation matter when it comes to actions? If a corporate CEO gives large amounts of money to charity, does it matter if it's just for PR purposes? The outcome is the same, is it not? Do the homeless children who get to eat because of it care if it was only to earn his company more profits? I'm sure they're happy just to be eating. How important is motivation in determining the morality of one's actions?
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Le_Canard
The Duk Abides
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Silversoul]
#4553738 - 08/18/05 10:20 PM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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For some it does make a difference. Personally, I could care less, as long as the kids get something to eat....
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Swami
Eggshell Walker
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Le_Canard]
#4553797 - 08/18/05 10:34 PM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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I belong to the Cheese Puffs for Africans Foundation.
-------------------- The proof is in the pudding.
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Prosgeopax
Jaded, yethopeful?
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Silversoul]
#4553817 - 08/18/05 10:39 PM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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From a practical view there is no difference. I am sure however that from a religious or spiritual view there are many who would argue motivation is more important. But then I wonder, why have the reward and punishment systems of heaven and hell or karma?
-------------------- Money doesn't grow on trees, but deficits do grow under Bushes. You can accept, reject, or examine and test any new idea that comes to you. The wise man chooses the third way. - Tom Willhite Disclaimer: I reserve the right to change my opinions should I become aware of additional facts, the falsification of information or different perspectives. Articles written by others which I post may not necessarily reflect my opinions in part or in whole, my opinions may be in direct opposition, the topic may be one on which I have yet to formulate an opinion or have doubts about, an article may be posted solely with the intent to stimulate discussion or contemplation.
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Silversoul]
#4554646 - 08/19/05 07:10 AM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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I believe motivation matters, as this CEO may then be convicted to judge the things his company does in light of what some call a conscience. There may be many things his company does to cause the starvation that he is supposedly relieving with a small charity.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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Silversoul
Rhizome
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Icelander]
#4554833 - 08/19/05 09:29 AM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
Icelander said: I believe motivation matters, as this CEO may then be convicted to judge the things his company does in light of what some call a conscience. There may be many things his company does to cause the starvation that he is supposedly relieving with a small charity.
But in that situation, there is a difference in outcome. I am speaking only of situations in which the outcome is the same, but the motivation may be different.
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Silversoul]
#4554936 - 08/19/05 10:05 AM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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Give me an example.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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Silversoul
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Icelander]
#4554957 - 08/19/05 10:11 AM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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I already gave you one. A CEO gives a large sum of money to charity. Let's not get into speculation as to whether or not his company is responsible for the suffering they're alleviating. Let's just stick to the example given, and assume that the outcome is the same, regardless of his motivation. Does his motivation still matter?
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Icelander
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Silversoul]
#4554995 - 08/19/05 10:20 AM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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That's totally subjective. To me it matters so I would say yes. I would get the best feeling from giving from my heart. But to the recipients it may not. I wouldn't know for sure how to tell.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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LittleBen
Feed Me A StrayCat
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Silversoul]
#4555021 - 08/19/05 10:25 AM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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I dont think a church would care if they got money for PR reasons. I think they would if it was a mobster doing it for tax reasons. I would not accept an apology from someone if they didnt mean it. I got the answer woot, it matters when it matters.
-------------------- Gaia, as you awaken, I heal myself. As I awaken, you are healed.
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budsicle
s?igh?tsee?r
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: LittleBen]
#4555222 - 08/19/05 11:42 AM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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"From a practical view there is no difference. I am sure however that from a religious or spiritual view there are many who would argue motivation is more important. But then I wonder, why have the reward and punishment systems of heaven and hell or karma? "
surely practical and spiritual view are deeply connected, the corporations that are likely to give it solely for pr purposes probably rip off the same people from somewhere else..
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Silversoul
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: budsicle]
#4556465 - 08/19/05 06:57 PM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
budsicle said: "From a practical view there is no difference. I am sure however that from a religious or spiritual view there are many who would argue motivation is more important. But then I wonder, why have the reward and punishment systems of heaven and hell or karma? "
surely practical and spiritual view are deeply connected, the corporations that are likely to give it solely for pr purposes probably rip off the same people from somewhere else..
This is an invalid assumption. There is nothing in my example which suggests that this happens, nor is there any reason to believe that it is necessarily true in real life(though there may be a few cases where it is).
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redgreenvines
irregular verb
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Re: Actions and Motivations [Re: Silversoul]
#4557848 - 08/20/05 03:43 AM (18 years, 7 months ago) |
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often donation consultants work with tax accountants when considering large donations, and the impact any announcement might have. you can hardly judge the donator without judging the entire legal and tax establishment. (which somehow is less bad than you might think although it is exceedingly complex)
smaller kindnesses tell you more about people than large tax-refundable actions that settle into the history of "gifts" and who are the supporters of the art gallery etc.
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TacticalBongRip
Curious Observer
Registered: 08/20/05
Posts: 527
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if they get a little PR for it then its a win win situation. A good deed is a good deed. Even though the CEO may be doing it for other reasons, he still did it to the benefit of the starving children, and thats more than someone who cares a lot more but has nothing to give to the starving children.
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redgreenvines
irregular verb
Registered: 04/08/04
Posts: 38,064
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well not necessarily more care than someone that didn't give to that charity - though appearances do sway even us intelligent types. you can't compare the corporate action to an act of a person with no tax position that is positively adjusted when a charity consultant works with PR and the accounting department.
private people operate on personal moralities while companies are regulated entities with essentially no morality
and the ceo's are mostly clowns of the upper caste: they mingle with royalty but have to work for the privaledge
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Icelander
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and the ceo's are mostly clowns of the upper caste: they mingle with royalty but have to work for the privaledge ______________________________________________________________
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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