Although I do think that a "general education" is good, all I meant by a commitment to the ongoing scientific enterprise was satisfying the conditions for contributing in one's own field. The value of crossing disciplines is, indeed, a separate discussion.
I had a friend who was an Objectivist, and who got me to read quite a bit of Miss Rand. It is a logical fallacy to say that because one derives satisfaction from helping others, helping others is therefore selfish:1.) Selfishness has a particular meaning, which is acting solely for one's own benefit;2.) Many people give up their lives for others, even without belief in an afterlife, and therefore could not conceivably benefit from the action;3) The real of meaning of allegiance to a community, calling, or ideal is to find something larger than yourself, that takes you out of your petty concerns and provides you with the chance to do something more durable with your life then engage in the evanescent pursuit of pleasure. According to the view that man is innately a "social animal", seeking to find one's place in society is at least as powerful a drive as sex, and therefore must be satisfied properly in order to be happy. |
