Quote:very interesting question posed... this also brings in Western vs eastern style philosophy. in a basic philosophy class, you learn of things like "i makers" in western philosophy that are basicly thinking mechanisms most people in western cultures use in which they inject their self as "i" into almost every line of thinking. while not totally absent in eastern philosophy, this style of thinking is much less prominent. to me, the OP's question is less about would you choose solution A or B, but rather, do noble and selfless acts even truly exist in today's western cultures. by that i mean, do people intentionally commit acts where they know going in they will reap zero personal gain or praise of any kind just because the act needed to be done.

 

would you take a bullet for someone even if you were not going to be recognized for doing so. some would say that is a lack of self preservation, but in alot of ways it is the most noble of acts. giving up everything just because it needed to be done with zero consideration of reward or personal praise.