Ethical Egoism - Ethical Theory - Lecture Slides, Slides of Ethics

Download Ethical Egoism - Ethical Theory - Lecture Slides and more Slides Ethics in PDF only on Docsity! . : ‘ : : : 3 z eee ry ‘ Docsity.com Ethical Egoism Ethical egoism is the view that everyone ought to pursue his or her own self-interest. It is a view that is distinct from psychological egoism. Psychological egoism maintains that humans in fact do pursue their own self interest in all cases, and that it is impossible for them not to. Ethical egoism challenges many people’s deepest beliefs about morality. We often think that morality is about other regarding desires. And many of us often have these other regarding desires. However, ethical egoism tells us only to pursue these if they are in our self-interest. Docsity.com Arguments for ethical egoism: non-paternalism 1. Looking out for another’s interests often requires being paternalistic. 2. While it is appropriate in certain cases to be paternalistic, such as in a parent-child relationship. It is inappropriate in adult-adult relationships. 3. So, looking out for another’s interest in adult-adult relationships is inappropriate. Docsity.com Arguments for ethical egoism: Self-defeat 1. Looking out for others often leads to a variety of problems, which leave others often in a worse situation 2. Therefore, looking out for others is self-defeating. 3. Therefore, our only obligation is to look out for ourselves. 4. Looking out for one’s own self interest is ethical egoism. Docsity.com The oddity of the reasons in favor of ethical egoism 1. We ought to do whatever will promote the best interests of everyone alike. 2. The interests of everyone will best be promoted if each of us adopts the policy of pursuing our own interests exclusively. 3. Therefore, each of us should adopt the policy of pursuing our own interests exclusively. However, premise (2) has an non-egoistic character. We are pursuing our own interests because it will promote society’s interest. This means that ethical egoism is supported by some non-egoistic doctrine about what we ought to be pursuing. Docsity.com The revisionist account of ethical egoism The revisionist account maintains that ethical egoism is an account of the origin of morality. It is because we ought only to pursue our self-interest that we come eventually to see through reason that certain forms of behavior are appropriate in society. a) If we make a habit of harming others, then they will not be reluctant to harm us. b) If we make a habit of lying to others, then they will lie to us. c) It is beneficial for us to engage in contracts. To engage in contracts requires that we are able to trust one another and that each can be counted on to do their part. d) The principle ‘do onto others as you would have them do on to you’ is derived from ethical egoism. Docsity.com Conflicts of Interest and Ethical Egoism 1. Part of the point of an adequate moral theory is that it be able to resolve conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest arise when two or more parties have competing interests, which require compromises or a choice of which interest to pursue. 2. Ethical egoism maintains that we should only promote our own self interest. In a conflict of interest this requires that we promote our interest as long as all other competing interests require the promotion of others interests that are not to our benefit. 3. So, ethical egoism is an inadequate moral theory, since it cannot resolve conflicts of interest. Docsity.com Analysis of the Problem in Conflicts of Interest In order for the argument against ethical egoism to hold, it must be the case that (a) an adequate moral theory does require a solution to the problem of conflicts of interest. (b) that conflicts of interest really cannot be solved by an ethical egoist. It is possible that moral theory does not require a solution to all possible conflicts of interest – but rather that conflicts of interest are not essentially out of the reach of the moral theory. That is a moral theory could be incomplete or indecisive in certain cases. The distinction between short-term and long-term interests may help resolve apparent conflicts of interest that appear to speak against ethical egoism as a theory that can resolve conflicts of interest. Docsity.com