Doing the right thing

[jack]

Do you draw a distinction between doing the right thing because you want to and because you feel you ought to?

You might give a coworker a lift to their home, somewhat out of your way[1] because:

(a) You're happy to spend that time with them
(b) You want them to get home easily
(c) You feel you should, and want to because someone else may have to help you similarly, but actually think "agh, why today?"

[1] Purely hypothetical example.

In some sense they are the same, because your total satisfaction in doing it must be positive, or you wouldn't be doing it. But motivation feels like it matters.

Can you even define the difference? For instance, would you just make the problem go away if you could? Yes, in case (c). But why not in (a) and (b) -- you'd want to help, wouldn't you? Or assume your ethics seek to maximise happiness. Do (a) and (b) increase happiness in you both, and (c) in her only?[2]

[2] Where happiness is defined as genuine happiness, and your satisfaction at making happiness in others (possibly because you want them to behave similarly from similar logic, or out of gratitude, or just because you maximise hapiness) doesn't count, but is some sort of second order happiness.

And, habit will eventually convert you into a or b more often.

What fictional characters define this? Deep Wizardry (Diane Duane) makes a point of a truly willing sacrifice working better than someone who feels they ought to. But doesn't define it for us.

Carrot Ironfounderson probably genuinely enjoys helping people. Vimes I think is more I have to do this or I'm as bad as he is. Carrot seems a whole lot more happy about it. But is someone like that a better person? Does that question have meaning?

Comments

[senji.livejournal.com]

No, I think in (c) your total satisfaction might be negative, but you're doing it as part of a kind of galactic karma bank that you'll be able to use to reduce the negativeness of future satisfaction deficits.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Could you say that again? Do you mean the "Someday someone will do something like that for me, or rather I shall behave how I want everyone to behave" thing?

I assume the total happiness produced should be positive, or we'll end up just trading favours back and forth into bigger and bigger inconveniences.

[atreic.livejournal.com]

Note that senji is saying your happiness, and you are saying total happiness. No contradiction

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you. Then, c is almost exactly when your happiness is negative, I think. Counting karma-returning when it appears rather than when you earn it.