Duties Towards Oneself and Self-Regarding Actions in the System of Reciprocal Duties
In this article, we aim to examine the relationship between behaviors that are exclusively governed by internal legislation and those that are also subject to external legislation. The former are governed exclusively by prima facie duties towards oneself, while the latter establish the scope of prima facie duties towards others. We propose that the sphere of duties towards oneself serves as the basis for the entire system of reciprocal duties. The self-determination of the individual constitutes the cornerstone of a system of duties and rights across various levels or corresponding to the individual, social, and public spheres. Duties towards oneself allow for the evaluation of options in the cognitive process of self-regulation of the individual. From those premises, rational individuals can determine their own ends and exercise free will. This internal process is expressed in the world of the senses through behavior, which may include acts relating to oneself in the private sphere or acts relating to others in the social and public spheres. Therefore, their effects are not limited to the internal sphere but are part of complex reciprocal relationships.
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