Ethics and Egoism
Ethical egoism —The theory that the
morally right action is the one that
produces the most favorable balance of
good over evil for oneself.
Psychological egoism —The view that the
motive for all our actions is self-interest.
Ethical egoism is not synonymous with
selfishness or self-indulgence.
Ethics and Egoism
The Ring of Gyges —Plato
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Glaucon’s story is meant to show that all
people believe in their hearts that injustice is
more profitable than justice.
Glaucon argues that the unjust life is better
than the just life.
Socrates says that we should choose the life of
the “unsuccessful” just person because it is to
our advantage to be moral.
Ethics and Egoism
In Defense of Ethical Egoism —
Ayn Rand
 Selfishness is a virtue.
 Under a morality of sacrifice, the first
value you sacrifice is morality; the next is
self-esteem.
 The achievement of your happiness is
the only moral purpose of your life.
Ethics and Egoism
Egoism and Altruism—Louis Pojman
 The paradox of egoism is that to reach the
goal of egoism, one must give up egoism
and become an altruist.
 Rand’s argument for the virtue of selfishness
seems flawed by the fallacy of false
dilemma.
 The main argument for ethical egoism rests
on psychological egoism.
Ethics and Egoism
Another Paradox of Egoism?
Can the proponents of ethical egoism
coherently urge others to become ethical
egoists?
It is in the best interests of the ethical egoist
not to urge others to do what is in their
own best interests because those might
conflict with his.
Ethics and Egoism
A Critique of Ethical Egoism —James
Rachels
 Ayn Rand’s argument for ethical egoism
relies on picturing the alternatives to egoism
in an extreme way.
 Ethical egoism is an arbitrary doctrine in the
same way that racism is.
 We should care about the interests of other
people for the very same reason we care
about our own interests.
Ethics and Egoism
A Critique of Ethical Egoism —James
Rachels
 The arguments for ethical egoism all fail to
establish the theory.
 Ethical egoism conflicts with the
fundamental principle of moral impartiality.