Since Plato's time, there have been attempts to show that the generally altruistic way of life is superior to the totally selfish way of life. Drawing upon the conclusions of philosophers and social psychologists, I argue that it is better to have a fairly moral character than a totally selfish one. I first argue that it is possible to have genuinely altruistic motivations (rather than disguised selfish motivations). I then show that both the altruistic and the selfish way of life are genuine choices for rational beings. Next I argue that the nature of values is such that they require reinforcement from others in order for us to verify that what we believe to be values are indeed values. I further argue that values are unattainable for the totally selfish person. Subsequently, I point out that values are necessary for an agent to have a meaningful life, and very likely necessary for a human to be able to have a sense of self. Since most people desire to have a meaningful life and a sense of self, I argue that the benefits possible to the fairly moral person outweigh the benefits possible to the totally selfish one, even if the latter can disguise her selfishness completely.

Many of Plautus' extant plays contain identity problems, the results of comic confusions in identity. The confusion may arise from deliberate deceit through impersonation, or from mistaken identity through ignorance. While mistaken identity features in many Plautine plays, these identity problems are usually brief comical complications arising from the machinations of a crafty slave or from a twist of fate. However, the Captiui, Menaechmi and Amphitruo all contain pervasive identity problems which are complicated and extend throughout the play. Further, all three plays present an unusual identity problem which provides strong contrast to the conventional Plautine problems including the ineligible girl later being found to be of free birth and now available for marriage, or the son and his slave successfully obtaining money from the son's father by trickery and impersonation. On closer examination, it is apparent that in each of these three plays Plautus has explored these identity issues and used them as a vehicle to highlight other significant social and moral issues. In Captiui, the young man who should be eligible for marriage is instead found to be the slave of his own father who has unwittingly mistreated him. In Menaechmi, two identical twin brothers, separated as young boys, who are coincidentally in the same foreign town at the same time and are repeatedly mistaken for one another, with far-reaching consequences. In Amphitruo, two mortals are impersonated by two gods, with identity theft and depersonalisation occurring. In all three plays, the identity problems form an integral part of the play and are explored extensively by Plautus. This dissertation examines the concepts of personal identity as exploited by Plautus in these three plays in the light of concepts of personal identity and the self as found in the works of ancient and modern philosophers, and of contemporary psychologists and sociologists. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Philosophy, Interpretation and Culture Graduate Program, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2007. / Thesis Advisor(s): Kadhim, Abbas ; Miller, Alice. "December 2007." Title from title page of PDF document (viewed on: Mar 26, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 45-46).

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2007. / Thesis Advisor(s): Kadhim, Abbas ; Miller, Alice. "December 2007." Description based on title screen as viewed on January 24, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 45-46). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.A. 1978) from the Department of Philosophy, University of Adelaide.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- La Trobe University, 2006. / "A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology [to the] School of Psychological Science, Faculty of Science, Technology, and Engineering, La Trobe University Bundoora". Research. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 324-363). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Gary R. Weaver, Dept. of Business Administration. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M Ed)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2009. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Bryce Carpenter. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-99).