David Hume And Disgrace

Regarding human nature, philosophers have reduced it to one of two views: That man is inherently selfish, or is capable of selflessness. Philosophers love simplicity to a fault, and will often attempt to reduce concepts to a primary cause. This often leads to certain misconceptions, because though something can be reduced, it does not necessarily make it true. Most would argue that J.M. Coetzee sides with the theory of self-interest in his novel Disgrace. I, on the other hand, disagree. I don’t mean that I think that he is not making the point that man is inherently selfish, because it is evident that he is; but I say that he also offers the view that man can be benevolent. Through Hume’s Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, I will
Hume tells the readers that “Tenderness to their offspring, in all sensible beings, is commonly able alone to counterballance the strongest motives of self-love”, and offers the example, “What interest can a fond mother have in view, who loses her health by assiduous attendance on her sick child, and afterwards languishes and dies of grief, when freed, by its death, from the slavery of that attendance” (PM, sec 2, #9 [A2])? This is a powerful claim on Hume’s part in the fact that it is absolutely and undeniably true. In a parent of sound mind and reason, there is this instinctual need to protect and nurture their child. They would do anything for them; they would even die for them. Even after the death of the child, when the burden of their care should be lifted, they are miserable and can even die of a broken heart. Logically, they should be enjoying their new-found liberty, but they only feel pain. If their devotion to their children cannot be explained using the selfish theory, then the only other logical explanation for their behaviour is that they get gratification from selflessness. David Lurie is a father, and we see the same kind of behaviour in him when Lucy is raped. He is extremely concerned for her well-being, he constantly asks her to confide in him so he can try and help her, and seeks justice for what has been done to her (Coetzee, 106-107, 124-125, 132-134, 196-201, 206-207). When he finally gets to inflict some damage on one of the men responsible for the violation, he has never “felt such elemental rage” (Coetzee, 206). In doing these things, he only causes more grief for himself, but he receives gratification in the knowledge that he might be able to help his