Ethical Egoism Ethical Egoism Things You Should Know

Ethical Egoism

Ethical Egoism Things You Should Know • How are ethical egoism and ethical relativism each different challenges to “standard” ethics? • What is ethical egoism? • What is psychological egoism? • How would psychological egoism, if true, support ethical egoism? (Hint: “ought implies can”)

Good Quiz Question How would psychological egoism, if true, support ethical egoism? (Hint: “ought implies can”)

Things You Should Know (continued) • What arguments are offered in favor of psychological egoism? • Why do most philosophers reject psychological egoism? • What are the main arguments against ethical egoism? • What does Rachels say about this? • What does course pack say about this?

Ethical Egoism: A Normative Claim Definition: One’s only moral obligation is to maximize one’s own interests. • Consider genuine interests, not just crude or obvious ones. • Consider long-term as well as short-term: help others and sacrifice if (but only if) it will help oneself in the long term.

Argument for Ethical Egoism* • It leads to the good for all • Similar to argument for capitalism based on Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” • Criticisms • Doesn’t actually lead to good for all • It’s not really an argument for ethical egoism but more an argument for utilitarianism

Argument for Ethical Egoism: Psychological Egoism • Psychological egoism is a purely descriptive claim. • Definitions: • People are only capable of acting in what they think is their own self-interest. • People are always motivated by self-interest. • It is impossible for people to act on a motivation purely to help others or to do “the right thing, ” conflicting with self-interest.

So what? • Psychological egoism is a descriptive claim, not an ethical claim. So why does it matter? • If it only claimed that sacrificing self-interest is difficult, it would not be a challenge to ethics. • Crucial point: “ought implies can”

Is Psychological Egoism (PE) True? Look inside yourself • PE: People are motivated by desire for good reputation, return gain, etc. • PE: Even when people help others or sacrifice, they get a good feeling out of it. • PE: Whatever people do, they are satisfying one of their own desires.

Response to Arguments for Psychological Egoism • Many acts not for obvious gains. • Not enough to show people GET a good feeling, act must be for the sake of good feeling (or avoiding guilt). • Confusion: psychological egoism must show that object of desire is self-interest.

Distinguish 2 Things Mother Teresa helps starving children Who is the subject? What is the object (Whose desire is of the desire? being satisfied? ) Of course it’s Mother The object must be Teresa’s desire, but herself. that’s no argument for No evidence for this. PE.

Arguments Against Ethical Egoism • Why shouldn’t you harm others? Because they would be harmed! • Ethical egoism is simply not the ethical point of view because it cannot solve conflicts of interests. (Note the assumption made about what the purpose of ethics.