An Essay on the Principles of Human Action: Being an Argument in Favour of the Natural Disinterestedness of the Human Mind (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

William Hazlitt

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0265582318 ISBN 13: 9780265582312

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Is the human mind naturally disinterested—or simply self-directed in disguise?

This essay argues that our concern for others rests on the same deep impulses that drive self-interest, shaped by memory, imagination, and reflection.

This edition presents Hazlitt’s argument that disinterested benevolence arises from how we relate past, present, and future experiences. It explains why acting for the good of others can come from the same mental mechanisms that guide personal welfare, and why self-love and compassion are not opposite forces but connected by human consciousness.

• Clarifies how future desires influence moral action and personal responsibility.
• contrasts self-interest with benevolence through the lens of memory, imagination, and reasoning.
• Explains why treating others’ welfare can align with one’s own long‑term goals.
• Examines philosophical objections and how language shapes our ideas of self and others.

Ideal for readers interested in philosophy of mind, ethics, and the roots of moral motivation, this work invites thoughtful reflection on how we relate to the welfare of others.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0265582318
• ISBN 13: 9780265582312
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 258