First Principles
It is the responsibility of the American President to advance the US national interest. To do so, it is necessary to know how interests are calculated.
Interests are sets of demands and expectations. To be valid, they must first of all be plausibly attainable. For states, as with individuals, satisfaction of one's own needs should have priority over satisfaction of one's own wants. Honest, sober discernment between the two is a sign of wisdom and maturity.
The natural, legitimate, proper interest of any individual or social group is first of all the satisfaction of persistent, urgent needs. The possibilities for peaceful and productive social collaboration among individuals and social groups depends on mutual recognition of proper interests. This is how human society evolves and advances. The organized expression of demands constitutes methods for their recognition and satisfaction, establishing rights. Rights are more likely to endure when they stem from proper interests. This is because they will reflect the most deeply valued interests of the greatest number of people.
Humans are biologically endowed with mental and physical capacities that enable self help, free thought, sovereign intention, moral responsibility, and reflective culture. Thus empowered, humans constitute polities through which they are obliged to defend and advance their proper interests. Human deeds establish human creeds, just as creeds inform deeds. Moral order is founded upon intentional action, and could not exist without it.
Free choice depends on knowing oneself. Many people do not. Instead, they live by their excuses, denying responsibility for their choices, as if they could surrender their freedom to nature, nurture, fate, or supernatural beings.
And there are many (and increasingly many more) who choose their excuses freely, as projects and as interests. During the act of fulfilment they disclose themselves, their calculations, and the moral interests they seek to advance.
February 23, 2006
Interests are sets of demands and expectations. To be valid, they must first of all be plausibly attainable. For states, as with individuals, satisfaction of one's own needs should have priority over satisfaction of one's own wants. Honest, sober discernment between the two is a sign of wisdom and maturity.
The natural, legitimate, proper interest of any individual or social group is first of all the satisfaction of persistent, urgent needs. The possibilities for peaceful and productive social collaboration among individuals and social groups depends on mutual recognition of proper interests. This is how human society evolves and advances. The organized expression of demands constitutes methods for their recognition and satisfaction, establishing rights. Rights are more likely to endure when they stem from proper interests. This is because they will reflect the most deeply valued interests of the greatest number of people.
Humans are biologically endowed with mental and physical capacities that enable self help, free thought, sovereign intention, moral responsibility, and reflective culture. Thus empowered, humans constitute polities through which they are obliged to defend and advance their proper interests. Human deeds establish human creeds, just as creeds inform deeds. Moral order is founded upon intentional action, and could not exist without it.
Free choice depends on knowing oneself. Many people do not. Instead, they live by their excuses, denying responsibility for their choices, as if they could surrender their freedom to nature, nurture, fate, or supernatural beings.
And there are many (and increasingly many more) who choose their excuses freely, as projects and as interests. During the act of fulfilment they disclose themselves, their calculations, and the moral interests they seek to advance.
February 23, 2006
posted by Flywheel at 8:48 AM
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