View source for Dissertations/Selfhood and the Metaphysics of Altruism

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|TileDescription=In this dissertation Kevin Maroufkhani argues that it is not a truism that altruism is less natural than egocentrism for an ordinary self.
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|TableOfContents=*{{i|ABSTRACT|iii}}
*INTRODUCTION:
*{{i|AN ETHICAL DEFENSE OF SELFHOOD AS OTHER-CENTRICITY|iv-xxiv}}

*CHAPTER 1 SELFHOOD AND ETHICAL AGENCY: OWNING MORAL SELFLESSNESS

*{{i|1.1 Introduction|1-7}}
*{{i|1.2 Self-talk and Practical Deliberations: The Gap Between Self and Other|8-20}}
*{{i|1.3.1 Conceiving Moral Selflessness: Unselfish Egocentricity|20-33}}
*{{i|1.3.2 Non-egocentricity, Unselfishness, and Other-regarding Considerations|34-37}}

*CHAPTER 2 SELFLESSNESS AND NORMATIVITY: ŚĀNTIDEVA AND EMPTINESS ETHICS

*{{i|2.1 Introduction|38-47}}
*{{i|2.2 Ownership and No-Self Views|47-55}}
*{{i|2.3 Ownership and Individuation: Varieties of Selflessness|55-62}}
*{{i|2.4 Bodhicaryāvatāra: Altruism, Egoism, and Utility|62-67}}
*{{i|2.5 Bodhicaryāvatāra: Altruism and the Anātman Dilemma|67-89}}
*{{i|2.6 Toward Ownership and Other-centricity|89-92}}

*CHAPTER 3 BEING OTHER THAN MYSELF: DEFENDING AN ETHICS OF SELFLESSNESS

*{{i|3.1 Introduction|93-98}}
*{{i|3.2.1 Anticipating My Future: How to Treat Myself as Other|98-101}}
*{{i|3.2.2 The Continuant Other: Good Reasons to Care About My Surrogate (Non)-Self|102-107}}
*{{i|3.3.1 Ego-Tunnels and Madhyamaka: The Ethics and Consolation of Simulated (Non)-Selves|108-120}}
*3.3.2 Madhyamaka, Ego-Tunnels, and Altruism:
**{{i|Seeing the World as a Spectrum of Graded Concerns for the Other|120-132}}
*{{i|3.4 Does the Existence of a Self Make Any Practical Difference?|132-147}}
*{{i|3.5 Madhyamaka as Borderless and Constructed Care for the (Non)-Self|147-155}}

*CHAPTER 4 EXALTED ALTRUISM AND MEREOLOGICAL HOLISM

*{{i|4.1 Introduction|156-162}}
*{{i|4.2 The Normative Self|162-168}}
*{{i|4.3 Selves as "Ownerless" Owners: Revisiting Sidgwick's Ethical Dilemma|168-181}}
*{{i|4.4 Two Chief Claims to Defend|182-190}}
*{{i|4.5.1 The Practical Inadequacies of the Anātman Thesis: Critique of Chapter 3|190-192}}
*{{i|4.5.2 Numerical Distinction and the Egoist’s Strategy|193-196}}
*{{i|4.5.3 Motivating Ethical Egoism|197-208}}
*{{i|4.5.4 A Rationally Reconstructed Buddhist Response|209-220}}
*{{i|4.6 Momentariness and the Problem of Other Persons in Dharmakīrti: An Advaita-Śaivite Response|220-229}}
*{{i|4.7.1 The Problem of Inferring Other Minds, And the Possibility of Sharing a World|229-232}}
*4.7.2 Mereological Holism and Other Minds:
**{{i|A Metaphysical Solution to the Problem of Unity in Diversity (Bhedābheda)|232-242}}
*{{i|4.8.1 Self and Other Minds…a Bridge to Motivated Altruism|242-248}}
*{{i|4.8.2 "Guessing" the Existence of Other Minds: A Śaivite Account of Reaching Common Ground|248-256}}

*{{i|CONCLUSION|257-265}}

*{{i|BIBLIOGRAPHY|266-269}}
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|TermTopics=Altruism; anātman; Madhyamaka
|TextTopics=Bodhicaryāvatāra
|Theme=The Path of the Bodhisattva; Śāntideva's Vision in Today's World
|SubTheme=Conduct; View; Śāntideva's Importance in the Buddhist Interfaith Dialogues; Making Sense of Śāntideva's Vision of Reality (Philosophy)
|Approach=Academic
|Audience=Intermediate; Advanced
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