Ethical Egoism

 

ETHICAL EGOISM

 

EGOISM •

In philosophy, egoism is the theory that one’s self is, or should be, the motivation and the goal of one’s own action.

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Egoism has two variants, descriptive or normative. The descriptive (or positive) po sitive) variant conceives egoism as A factual  A factual description description of human affairs. That is, people are motivated by their own ow n interests and desires, and they cannot be described otherwise.

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The normative variant proposes that people should be so motivated, regardless of what presently motivates their behavior. Altruism is the op opposite posite of egoism. The term “egoi “egoism” sm” derives from “ego,” the latin term for “I” in english. Egoism should be distinguished from egotism from  egotism,, which means A psychological overvaluation of one’s own importance, or of one’s own activities.

 

1. DESCRIPTIVE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EGOISM

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psychological egoism egoism.” .” The descriptive egoist’s theory is called ““psychological

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Psychological egoism describes human nature as being wholly self-centered self-centered and self-motivated. self-motiv ated. Examples of this explanation explanation of human nature predate the formation of the theory, theory, and, are found in w writings ritings such as that of british victorian historian, Macaulay Macaulay, and, in that of british reformation pol political itical philosopher, Th Thomas omas Hobbes. Hobbes.

 

2. NORMATIVE EGOISM

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The second variant of egoism is normative nor mative in that it stipulates the agent ought  to ought to promote the self above other values. Herbert spencer said, “ethics has to recognize the truth, recognized in unethical thought, that egoism comes before altruism.

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The acts required for continued self-preservation, including the enjoyments of benefits achieved by such arts, are the first requisites to universal welfare.

 

A. RATIONAL EGOISM

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Rational egoism claims that the promotion of one’s own interests is always always in accordance with reason. The greatest and a nd most provocative pro proponent ponent of rational egoism is Ayn Rand, whose the virtue of selfishness outlines the logic and appeal of the theory.

 

B. ETHICAL EGOISM

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Ethical egoism is the normative theory that the promotion of one’s own good is in accordance with morality.

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In the strong version, it is held that it is always moral to promote one’s own good, and it is never moral not to promote it.

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In the weak version, it is said that although it is always moral to promote one’s own good, it is not necessarily never moral to not. That is, there may be conditions in which the avoidance of personal interest may be a moral action.

 

I. CONDITIONAL EGOISM

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A final type of ethical egoism is conditional egoism.

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This is the theory that egoism is morally acceptable or right if it leads to morally acceptable ends.

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For example, example, self-inte self-interested rested behavior can be accepted and a applauded pplauded if it leads to the betterment of society as a whole; the ultimate test rests not on acting self-interestedly self-interested ly but on whether society is improv improved ed as a result.

 

3. CONCLUSION •

Psychological egoism is fraught with the logical problem of collapsing into a closed theory, theory, and hence being a mere assumption that could validly be accepted as describing human motivatio motivation n and morality morality,, or b be e rejected in favor of a psychological altruism (or even a psychological ecologism in which all actions necessarily benefit the agent’s environment).

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Normative egoism, however, engages in a philosophically more intriguing dialogue with protractors. Normative egoists argue from various positions that an individual ought to pursue his or her own interest.