Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Ethical Egoism (Psychological Egoism (2 theories (1) it is an explanatory…
Ethical Egoism
Psychological Egoism
We are programmed to act for ourselves - "These actions are only superficially altruistic and have underlying egotistic motives" - Bowie
2 theories
1) it is an explanatory theory to the effect that we are all egoists - all our actions are for the protection of ourselves
-
The Ring of Gyges
story that Glaucon tells to Socrates to explain the theory that we all act for ourselves - the ring grants the owner the possibility to become invisible at will
If an unjust man had the ring of Gyges, it is obvious what he would do. What about a righteous man? When there are no consequences to fear, then just behaviour seems unreasonable.
-
-
Scenario: Giving money to charity - egoistic motive is to boost self esteem - Christians give 10% of their earnings
Links to Dawkins' Selfish Gene - parents make sacrifices to benefit their children which in part benefits themselves in later life
-
Rawl's Veil of Ignorance - no one knows their true place in society so we would be happy to give our taxes to the government because it might help us in the future - NHS etc - we are happy to pay our taxes for selfish reasons
Criticisms
my instinct for self-preservation is self-interested, but is it selfish? self interest may be a part of good treatment of others - Golden Rule "Do unto others as you would have them do to you"
Butler - actions aren't born solely out of desire, but out of the ends we seek - it is concentration on long term self-interest rather than short term interests
Thomas Hobbes
-
humans 'state of nature' is to be unjust and have the best for ourselves - assert dominance over others through violence
-
-
natural state of mankind, as seen through Civil War is violent - "The war of all against all"
-
-
The Mastery of Self
Stirner believed that egoism is "a mastery of oneself, rather than being mastered by others or our own appetites"
Themes in Stirner's work
1) Einzige - delusion of past and self-interest - laws, parents, age, money - "one often discovers something quite other than what it seems to be" - it is not the agent that directs but the ideal (religion)
2) Eigenheit - to be truly free, you must recognise your 'owness' - "I shall do I will" - I am a person of my own will not a slave to obligations - "I am my own only when I am the master of myself"
3) Einzig - future of the self is to activate uniqueness - being unique means being free from external conceptual theories that could be imposed - I should have an emotional detachment from chocolate so that my appetite doesn't have control of me - "I am owner of my might"
4) Union of egoists - the only way forward was to develop a special community that has in common the recognition of the uniqueness of the egoists - Stirner recognised that this would have practical difficulties
-
-
-
Criticisms - ignores social institutions of legislations - Hobbes believed that without law, there would be another civil war
-
-
Ethical Egoism
-
self interest is traditional - Jesus - we should treat others in the manner in which we wish to be treated
If there is no compelling reason to practice justice, then self-interest would be the only logical path
Stirner
-
3 stages of development
1) Realistic Stage - childhood, there are external forces controlling our selfish behaviours - Ancient World
3) Egoism - realisation that most important consideration is personal satisfaction - we are acting upon our self-interest - Future where we are free from constraining shackles
2) Idealistic Stage - self discovery - constrained by reason and inner voice - modern and Christian world
Psychological Altruism
descriptive view that humans are motivated to act in the interests of others - more optimistic view of human nature
-
-
Dawkins - genes make the individual behave in whatever way would guarantee own survival - 'selfish gene'
-