Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium (Moral Letters to Lucilius), Letter XLVII: On master and slave
“Every action of man, the highest as well as the lowest, is egoistic; for it flows from a certain individuality, a certain I, with a sufficient motive, and can in no way be omitted. To go into the reason of the difference of characters is not the place here; we have simply to accept it as a fact. Now it is just as impossible for the merciful man to let his neighbor starve as it is for the hard-hearted man to help the poor. Each of the two acts according to his character, his nature, his ego, his happiness, consequently egoistically; for if the merciful one did not dry the tears of others, would he be happy? And if the hard-hearted one relieved the suffering of others, would he be satisfied?”
Source: Philosophie der Erlösung, Erster Band (2014), Ethik, § 11 ISBN 978-1494963262
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Philipp Mainländer 5
German poet and philosopher 1841–1876Related quotes
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