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How does reproduction benefit one's life?

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RationalEgoistSG

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It is self-evidently true that I've made the fundamental decision, to exist. Do you seriously doubt that I have chosen to exist? If so, we have a problem. If not, then you know how I "get beyond". So where is your first doubt?

I know you have chosen to exist, but I'm asking why you think that is the right decision. Why life over death? Just because you want to, or is there some fact of reality saying a living thing should act to exist?

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I know you have chosen to exist, but I'm asking why you think that is the right decision.
I don't go there. This point in elaborated on by Tara Smith especially in Viable Values, and the main point is that it is impossible to justify your ultimate standard for action. You end up in an infinite regress of trying to justify choice X in terms of choice Y. The notion of "right decision" makes sense only in terms of a purpose, like "right for me, as a means of...".
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I know you have chosen to exist, but I'm asking why you think that is the right decision. Why life over death? Just because you want to, or is there some fact of reality saying a living thing should act to exist?

"Right" is a term which pre-supposes a goal. Right for what purpose? (in other words: Of value to whom and for what?)

Asking for why it is right to choose to live is like asking for proof of logic. The very concept of "proof" depends on the validity of logic. By what means, other than logic, would you "prove" something?

The very concept of "right" presupposes that one has already chosen a standard of value. So you can't ask if choosing to live is "right" because "right" implies a choice has already been made.

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or is there some fact of reality saying a living thing should act to exist?

Look closely here. "Should" implies an ethical decision. So let me ask you something in return. What gives rise to the need for ethics? That is, ethics are not here simply because existence exists. The answer to the question is what is termed meta-ethics, the fundamental point at which the need for ethics arises.

In Objectivism it is at this point, the point of life. Man is volitional. His ability to survive and flourish is not automatic. He must make volitional choices. In the absense of those choices the default is clearly death. One need not choose to die; given no other choices, that is what will happen to you. But at the point of choosing to live, one must then need a moral code in order to survive and flourish.

There is no "should" before that choice because there is no need of ethics. Upon making the choice, one creates a standard, the standard of life and the necessity for ethics. "Shoulds" follow the choice to live. There is no "Man should choose to live."

Tara Smith covers this in her book "Viable Values" which is a book covering meta-ethics.

Edited by KendallJ
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