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ETHICAL EGOISM - Coggle Diagram
ETHICAL EGOISM
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SELF-INTEREST, NOT ALTRUISM
all ppl have responsibility to each other, so this is what moral choices should be based on
altruism is doing an act that helps others, especially if it's at cost to yourself
AYN RAND says altruism is destructive, as it treats one's life as being disposable
she argues we only have one life, but altruism demands this be sacrificed for the good of others, which devalues the individual
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egoism is then the only way to make sure you have value put on your life; egoism's only obligation is to look after your own interests
however, we shouldn't stop helping others completely as what we do for others can also be seen as something we do for ourselves
what makes something morally right, however, is that we are motivated by personal interest
WHAT?
ppl should only pursue their own interests - their duty is only to themselves, not others
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MAX STIRNER
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UNION OF EGOISTS
society teaches us that we're all equal, but as a result of this teaching, we become depersonalised; as we're all equal, we have certain obligation and must obey the fact we're all equal
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as a result the idea of the self becomes abstract + lost; nationality/ equality is a 'spook' (illusion)
'spooks' reject the idea of the individual self; obedience to the state is irrelevant to egoism as it involves the individual giving themselves up to something other than themselves
e.g. stirner points out socrates was foolish + not praiseworthy as he accepted his verdict and cooperated with execution
socrates was deluded into thinking he was a part of 'the people', and ended up giving himself up to the law and recognised, in the people, his judgement
he was seen as virtuous for submitting, but should've been more individualistic and seen he was only fit to judge his own actions
stirner does argue, however, that there are benefits for ppl forming temp. relationships + working in alliance while being acceptable - acting out of self-serving enjoyment is acceptable
this would be known as a union of egoists - a purely functional association that exists as it can achieve a goal for the self
no duty is onvolved, neither is there higher value in the partnership + no obligation to members of the union
when a principle becomes binding, it becomes a dead union
as long as individualism is still significant, no party/ org. matters