Psychological and Ethical Egoism (Lecture Audio)

Introduction to Egoism

• Course content focuses on the concept of egoism, especially psychological and ethical egoism.
• Central question: Do individuals act solely out of self-interest?

Understanding Psychological Egoism

• Psychological egoism posits that all human actions are motivated by self-interest.
• Not a moral claim but a descriptive claim about human nature.
• Moral implications: If true, individuals lack moral obligation to act for others' interests.

Moral Dilemmas Involved

• Acknowledgment that people often act in self-interest without negative implications.
• Issue arises when self-interest conflicts with the moral responsibility to care for others.

Altruism and Counterexamples

• If psychological egoism is valid, altruism (acting for others' benefit) cannot truly exist.
• Example provided: A soldier sacrificing himself to save others.
• Psychological egoists claim such actions are still self-serving despite appearances.

Strictly Conscientious Actions

• Psychological egoism denies the existence of actions taken solely due to moral obligations.
• Illustration: Avoiding selfish desires for others' benefit, not because of selfish motives.

Counter-Legislation From Psychological Egoists

• Examples like Mother Teresa’s actions explained as self-benefiting, such as feeling good or seeking publicity.
• This reasoning creates a perception that selfish motives underpin every action.

Critical Assessment of Psychological Egoism

• Argument that evidence for merely possible claims doesn’t prove their reality.
• To establish truth, comprehensive evidence must exist to support claims.

Transition to Ethical Egoism

• Ethical egoism identifies actions as morally right when they benefit oneself.
• Contrasts with psychological egoism in that one may not believe all actions are selfish.
• Ethical egoists argue against the moral obligation of unselfish actions.

Implications of Ethical Egoism

• If ethical egoism is accurate, it’s rational to act selfishly as it aligns with moral expectations.
• Example: If you believe certain acts of charity aren’t beneficial to you, you're not acting wrongly by not doing them.

Challenges to Ethical Egoism

• Important considerations for moral beliefs, like not harming others for personal gain.
• Ethical egoism might contradict widely held moral beliefs regarding human rights and welfare.

Libertarianism and Ethical Egoism

• Ethical egoism can challenge libertarian views on self-determination and rights.
• If one person’s self-interest threatens another's rights, ethical egoism fails to justify that interference.

Critique of Ethical Egoism

• Ethics suggest everyone’s interests should be considered, especially when morally irrelevant differences occur.
• For example, discriminating based on skin color is morally unacceptable but can be justified by ability or competency.
• The self-interest focus of ethical egoism does not allow for morally relevant considerations of others' needs.

Conclusion

• The discourse around psychological and ethical egoism brings forth debates on morality, self-interest, and selfishness.
• Important to evaluate the arguments critically and consider broader ethical implications.

Action Items for Review

• Refer to the quiz questions provided in Blackboard for further understanding of concepts discussed in this lecture.