Module 5: Skepticism in Ethics

Prelim Topic

Ethical Egoism

• Claims that each person ought to pursue his or her own self-interest exclusively

• This is the morality of selfishness. It holds that our only duty is to do what is best for ourselves. Other people matter only insofar as they can benefit us.

Ethical Egoism

• Some people believe that we have no duties to others
  - This view is known as _

Psychological Egoism

• Asserts that each person does in fact pursue his or her own self- interest exclusively

• We may believe ourselves to be noble and self-sacrificing, but that is only an illusion. In reality, we care only for ourselves

Altruism

• Selfless concern for the well-being of others, without care for one's own interests; unselfishness:

We Always Do What We Want to Do.

An argument for Psychological Egoism: “Every act you have ever performed since the day you were born was performed because you wanted something.”

We Always Do What Makes Us Feel Good

The second argument for Psychological Egoism appeals to the fact that so called altruistic actions produce a sense of self- satisfaction in the person who performs them

Cultural Relativism

Main Idea: “Different cultures have different moral codes. Therefore, there are no universal moral truths, the customs of different societies are all that exist”

Different Moral Codes

• The moral code of a society determines what is right within that society; that is, if the moral code of a society says that a certain action is right, then that action is right, at least within that society.

• The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is but one among many

• Therefore, there is no objective truth in morality

• Right and wrong are only matters of opinion, and opinions vary from culture to culture

• Ex: The Greeks believed it was wrong to eat the dead, whereas the Callatians believed it was right to eat the dead

Learning from Cultural Relativism

• First, Cultural Relativism warns us, quite rightly, about the danger of assuming that all of our practices are based on some absolute rational standard

• The second lesson has to do with keeping an open mind

• Many of the practices and attitudes we find natural are really only cultural products

• It is arrogant for us to judge other cultures. We should always be tolerant of them