Ethical Contract and Morality & Conversation with Nietzsche

By Vlad Zeit

To solve a dilemma between unescapable selfishness of human nature and “the absence of all egoistical motivation” as “a criterion for an action of moral worth”, the concept is proposed to distinguish Ethics and Morality, ethical behavior and moral actions. Code of ethical behavior, Ethical Contract is founded on men’s recognition of mutual benefits, even necessity, of establishing and enforcing of the rules of behavior in human communities. Morality, rare moral actions of the highest order, is founded on human nature, on men’s virtues: loving kindness, compassion.
Conversation with Nietzsche is the attempt to share the joy and torment of facing abysses of the human existence which the great insights of genius shows us.
Afterword is the expression of the horror of witnessing the ruinous influence of the alliance of Popular Culture and Technology on spiritual life of Modern Men.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vlad Zeit
• Release date: Apr 10, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310746611

Vlad Zeit

Classical literature reader.Hobbies: skiing, hiking, photography.Ca resident

Book preview

ETHICAL CONTRACT AND MORALITY

&

CONVERSATION WITH NIETZSCHE

Vlad Zeit

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. HUMAN RACE AND UNIVERSE.

CHAPTER II. SELF-INTEREST, SELFISHNESS.

CHAPTER III. SELF-INTEREST, ETHIC AND MORALITY

CHAPTER IV. ETHICAL CONTRACT AND MORALITY.

CONVERSATION WITH NITZSCHE.

AFTERWORD.

CHAPTER I

HUMAN RACE AND UNIVERSE.

«Какое, милые, у нас тысячелетье на дворе ?»

" What millennium, darlings, is in the backyard today ? – man opens a casement window and asks kids playing in the yard. (Boris Pasternak)

For thousands years mankind’s greatest minds, deepest thinkers were tormented by riddles and mysteries of the Universe; its creation; its beginning and end; transcendental world, unknown and unknowable; men’s capacity to acquire, empirically or by reason, a knowledge and understanding of OUR Universe.

The center of the Universe was always us, intelligent creatures, Human Race. Our deepest concerns and burning passions are about human’s nature; about basics, development and causes of men’s morality; social and political structures of societies; meaning of our life. Development and progress of human race is of the profound interest, even if we cannot agree on what human progress really implies. Problems of economic development, wealth and inequality, education, international relations are hotly debated topics.

Our attention and strong emotions can concentrate on the future of our common habitat – Planet Earth. For a while the focus of our concern can be climate change on Earth; what disasters we can expect as a result of rising sea levels in just 50 years; ice melting consequences by 2050; our petroleum and water resources; deforestation. We know that our planet is insignificant fragment of the Universe. We assume that humans are not the only living intelligible creatures in the Universe. We know that Human Race and our Planet are not eternal. Still mankind’s struggles, victories and defeats are unquestionably the matter of the most intense interest of human’s collective consciousness.

When we, Human Race, came to being in this world, the Universe already existed to provide us with limitless opportunities for enjoyment of life.

CHAPTER II.

SELF-INTEREST, SELFISHNESS.

"If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?"

Hillel the Elder (110 BC – 10 AD)

The famous inscription carved in The Temple of Apollo in Delphi appeals to us: Know Thyself.

Among numerous interpretations of inscription meaning many thinkers believed this maxim tells us that self-knowledge is the most important, and may be only, way to penetrate nature of human beings and enigmas of the