Wednesday, May 5, 2010

“Philosophy: Summary and Explanation of Ethical Egoism - Associated Content” plus 3 more

“Philosophy: Summary and Explanation of Ethical Egoism - Associated Content” plus 3 more

Philosophy: Summary and Explanation of Ethical Egoism - Associated Content

Posted: 05 May 2010 02:50 PM PDT

What is Ethical Egoism?

Philosophy and ethics are not uniform fields that will yield the same answer for every moral problem. Instead, the field of ethics is diverse and different ethicists have chosen different ethical approaches to ethical problems. Ethical egoism is one of many ethical frameworks. Here are the basics:

Ethical egoism, simply put, dictates that one must do whatever is necessary to maximize one's long-term self interest. Note the emphasis on long term self interest. An ethical egoist would typically not, for example, endorse running up credit card debt. While it might fulfill one's interests in the moment, it would undermine one's long term self interest. Ethical egoism takes into account neither the law nor other people, though ethical egoists may obey the law, be kind to other people, or practice altruism if it benefits their long term self interest.

It's important to note that ethical egoism differs from rational egoism, which claims that people only act in their own self interest. Ethical eogism is making a normative claim about what people should do, not a statement of fact about what they are doing.

Max Stirner, a nineteenth century nihilist philosopher, is likely the first philosopher to have explicitly advocated ethical egoism as an overarching philosophical framework.

Thomas Hobbes may be viewed by some to be an ethical egoist, though he argued that if everyone follows their own long term self interest completely, a logical inconsistency would result. Thus part of following one's own long term self interest in a larger society involves allowing others to follow their own self interest, thus perhaps giving up some of one's own long term interests.

Some have criticized ethical egoism on the grounds that it is not a moral framework at all, while others have claimed that it is impossible to know what one's long term self interest is.

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Splinter Cell , Far Cry 2 Director Resigns with ... - Escapist Magazine

Posted: 05 May 2010 03:04 PM PDT

Some people quit their jobs by telling the boss to take the job give it to someone else. Clint Hocking does it by nearly making everyone cry.

Ubisoft's Clint Hocking, both designer and creative director on the Splinter Cell series and recently creative director for Far Cry 2, has publicly announced his resignation from the company. Though it may be surprising considering his extremely positive track record, a revealing blog post explains his reasoning, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the life of a videogame industry employee.

Hocking composed the post to explain himself, but held within his prose are inspiring words of advice. He got his start tinkering with the Unreal Editor, and applied to Ubisoft when they needed people with UE experience. Hocking landed a position as a designer on the very first Splinter Cell, and moved higher on the ladder through successive games in the series. It might seem like he was lucky, but he thinks the "mystery ingredient was courage."

Having the courage to admit his life was unsustainable, and to try to acknowledge this and try to fix it was key. He seems to feel, though, that the unsustainable life has crept up again. He writes:

In the 451 weeks that I have been here, I have adopted many new habits. It has taken tremendous effort to prevent those habits from atrophying into bad ones. Pride burns into hubris. Willingness wilts into desperation. Confidence slows to stubbornness. Passion boils into anger. Each of these faults and others - without care and constant self-examination - risk becoming habits.

I am too comfortable. I am too content. And I know where that can lead for me.

And he believes his future requires taking new chances, and having courage again:

Fortunately, for the first time in my life, I know the way forward. The way forward lies in my having the courage that I did not know I had a decade ago to bid farewell to those tragically comforting habits. I need to walk on hot coals and sleep on a bed of nails. I need to chew on broken glass. I need to drink paint. This post has gotten long enough and I am still afraid to come to the point, but what I really need more than anything is to write these words;

I gave notice of my resignation to Ubisoft on Monday, April 26th, 2010.

So you see kids, even a successful videogame company employee can have stress and internal conflict. It's not all daisies and free pizza. Or, maybe he just got really mad about Ubisoft's new DRM. Hopefully he'll skip the paint drinking part.

Via: CVG

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Riley clarifies thoughts on international players - Sun-Sentinel (blog)

Posted: 05 May 2010 12:20 PM PDT

Pat Riley called Wednesday to expand on his thoughts about overseas players, and discuss how much effort goes into scouting them for the Heat. "Clarify," his position was the word he used.

The other day at his news conference I asked a question that had mystified me for a while: Why didn't the Heat invest in overseas players?

"I like the homegrown product, I just do,'' he said then. "I feel comfortable with it. And maybe somewhere in free agency or via some trades, we may have missed somewhere along the line, but I just felt I just like the players here.

"That's where I've gone. I not saying that we're not going to ever draft a foreign player or sign one, but it hasn't been at the top of our priority list."

I questioned why the Heat would shut off an avenue to talent like this, calling it a "Middle Age philosophy."

On Wednesday, Riley called to clarify his ideas.

"I think you're way off base about my philosophy, my approach,'' he said.

Here's what Riley said:

"I've said in the past, and I believe this, that the way I always want to build a team is through free ageny and trades,'' he said. "Probably some of the best players we've gotten here were free agents and trades.

"Also, through the draft. But the only way you build through the draft is to lose and get three, four, five years of Top 10 lottery picks. Since (losing to get those picks) has never been a philosophy of mine – we've only had three lottery picks in 15 years – I always use (draft picks) as an adjunct to help free agency and trades. As chips I would use maybe to acquire players through trade.

"When it comes to international players, we probably do as much or more than anybody when we're scouting the world. We put 60 players up on the draft board, and we don't put Chinese, European or American by their names. All mixed together.

"For the past 30 days, (player personnel director) Chet Kammerer has been in Europe looking at draft-eligible players and free agents. (International scouting director) Adam Simon, when Chet left, went over there and is at the European Final Four right now. We have contacts, world-wide, facilitators who send us information all year."

He discussed a service that allows teams to dial up a player and look at "100 edits" of his play.

"In the last 15 years of the draft, about one percent of the players picked were front-line (international) stars. The Pau Gasols, Tim Duncans, Tony Parkers, Manu Ginobilis, (Peja) Stojakovics – they're few and far between. There have been about 900 players drafted and there are 12 front-line players. Others are good, they go in the rotation. But it's few and far between as far as finding stars.

"When you're down drafting in the 20s (like the Heat often is), then pretty much I'm going to go with who I know best. We've had 10 foreign players on the roster but most went to college in America."

Riley said the Heat hadn't invested more in international players because, "either, 1) one wasn't available to us, or 2) we weren't in position at that time to get the guy we wanted.

"It is a big, big part of what we do … I 'd love to get an international player that would fit. I'd do it in a minute."

Riley talked of how, "One of the philosophies for years was for teams with multiple second-round picks to draft an international player under contract and hold his rights and track him to see what he becomes. Ginobili was an OK player in Argentina, in South America, then went to Europe and became a star. (San Antonio) signed him."

Riley pointed out how he had Sasha Danilovic from 1995-1997 ("He fit right in with our philosophy"), Vlade Stepania from 2001-2003 ("We thought he'd break through for us") and Albert Miralles (whose rights were traded in the mega-deal that brought Antoine Walker, Jason Williams and James Posey).

"This year, so far, in the projections of the first 60 players only five international players are there in the first two rounds. Probably around June 25, 10 or 15 will be there, with the majority of them in the second round.

"We'll be looking at them closely. I'd love to find one that works for us. I really would."


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Teens Growing Up With The “Power of One” Philosophy ... - PRLog (free press release)

Posted: 05 May 2010 05:46 AM PDT

PR Log (Press Release) – May 05, 2010 – Introducing The Power of One Project for teens and mentors around the world.   This Colorado based organization is leading the way, fostering the idea that one person can make a difference to a family, a village, and a world.  Recently launched by The Blue Star of Hope Foundation and founded by an energetic and always smiling husband and wife team from Crestone, Colorado, this project is becoming more popular than ever with American teens.  Imagine still being in high school and traveling the world on your Christmas and Spring breaks.  While some teens flirt with trouble over their school breaks, others are volunteering in exotic locations like Thailand and truly making a difference.

"We live in a rapidly changing world, one that demands creative and innovative solutions for ensuring our quality of life, education, and economic prosperity for all people and creatures on this planet," Juelle Wilkins, Power of One Founder.  

If you or a teen you know is interested in volunteering and experiencing other cultures in a new way, contact Juelle at The Blue Star of Hope Foundation.  As all teen projects should, they also, of course, have a Facebook page.  The next Power of One meeting is Sunday, May 9th at 11:30am, Mile Hi Church Community Center,  9077 West Alameda Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80226.  For more information about this innovative teen project, visit:   www.bluestarofhope.org    

By inviting our teens to participate in this project, we lay the foundation for Peace in our future.
– Cristi Benavides, Colorado Artist and Power of One Mentor
Article References:  www.bluestarofhope.org

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