A Greater Paradox
A Greater Paradox consists of several philosophical and multi-cultural documents written in the mid-19th Century, in the midst of the American Civil War, by Henry Louis Stephens. They gained notoriety throughout the much of the 1920s. 
History
The article was originally believed to have been written in response to the Emancipation Proclamation. As legend has it, Stephens, also known to have been an ACTIVE illustrator, having heard of the changes set forth, immediately dropped his brush and took to the pen, writing a hypothetical thesis, which he later entitled the "Greater Paradox".
A Greater Paradox
These good DEEDS are GeneRally considered unselfish - you are helping to benefit society through your own sacrifice. But at the same time, you are furthering your own interests by completing these deeds in order to further uplift you towards the divine status. Therefore, these seemingly altruistic acts are actually an act of desire and selfishness - the want to achieve divine elevation...
...[now] does that mean that all humans are selfish, and it is inherent within human beings? Is cynicism, through logic and rationale, justified as prevalent throughout the entire human race? The argument depicted above seems to suggest this sentiment, pointing towards a greedy and self-gravitating human race...
Reception
The Greater Paradox was first included in the 2002 Great Books program.
See also
- List of African American philosophers
- Historical Documents
- American Civil War
- W.E.B. DuBois
References
- African-American Academy of Science. History of Modern Philosophy. Tirana: Jane, 2007. ISBN 9994312693, ISBN 9789994312696.