1C- Ethical egoism Flashcards
(19 cards)
Explain long/short term gains
Acting in self interest is more than being selfish but also consideration of long/short term gains
Outworking of self interest may be short term eg giving to charity- interests are served immediately
Long term plan eg developing character
Mainly need to consider long term as short term may be detrimental to the self
Example of ‘the customer is always right’ as a supermarket may only care about the customer as is in own long term self interest to do so
What type of theory is ethical egoism
meta-ethical - agent centered- Consequentialism- Normative (guide to right/wrong)
Explain Ethical egoism
If an action creates a beneficial outcome for the agent then it is ethically good
A difference between ethical egoism and psychological egoism (a descriptive view)- stirner rejects psychological
To say that we always act out of self interest (psychological egoism) isn’t the same as arguing we should act out of self-interest (ethical egoism)
Explain altruism (reference to ethical egosim)
It is opposed to altruism (obligation to help others)
Could be argued altruistic actions could also be for self gain eg to feel better
Who’s Stirner
19th century- book= the ego and it’s own
What does Stirner say about uniqueness
Uniqueness- we only act in self interest as any attempt to satisfy others is restricting own uniqueness
Irony is he argued notion of self-interest was deluded as doesn’t correctly identify nature of the ‘self’
Only when we understand what the true nature of the self is can we be truly free to act accordingly
True egoism is realising what is ‘own’ is not driven by frameworks eg religion that enslave us
True self needs to be free from constraints of external ideologies
What does Adam Smith state about ethical egosim
It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from regard to their own interest
What does Stirner say about the ego
Stirner questions the truth that self-interest is the root cause of every human action as conventional understanding of self-interest is always a slave to something eg a religious duty
Self interest should be truly free
Stirner calls for humans to recognise enslavement to duty and re-focus on what the self/ego desires
Sitrner rejects idea that religion/ moral frameworks will lead to self-development and only restricts the ego
Without doing the above it memes sacrificing your free will
What does Stirner say about the future of the self
Ownness: (eigenheit) a person becomes their own master, not in confines of the conscience- ‘i do as i will’
Activate uniqueness: (einzig) implications of what ownness truly means are only realised through appreciation of oneself as unique- ‘i am owner of my might’
What does Sitrner say about rejection of material gain
Concentration on material gain enslaves moral agent as slave to capitalism
What does Stirner say about the union of egosists
His egoism is not anti-social and advocates for co-operation between egos
Promoted idea society should be composed in way that recognises one’s uniqueness
Organised society with 3 principles: 1) free agreement, 2) equality 3) mutual self interest
This is an ideology
Give the 3 challenges to ethical egosim
destruction of community
social injustice
bigotry
explain the challenge of destruction of community
Destroys community ethos- promotes will of the self rather than will of others
Community ethos is working together for greater good eg homeless charity helping people
Lead to ignoring communities needs
Perhaps rejection of frameworks could be criticised as anarchy and opposition of state
State causes conflict between uniqueness and obligation for laws
explain the challenge of social injustice
Leads to other individual suffering eg money
explain the challenge of bigotry
Pursuing own interest could cause social injustices and bigotry (narrow mindedness)
Causes conflict of interest with others as bigots usually think their group is superior
Ethical egoism divides people
give 3 points that agree with ‘virtue theory is superior to ethical egoism’
Based on altruism and thinking of common ‘good life’
It’s agent centered- when individual developed in virtues its a guide
Provides guide on situation basis
give 3 points that disagree with ‘virtue theory is superior to ethical egoism’
Both may lead to immoral actions
EE is done subconsciously, even if we’re not enlightened with EE
Long term gains could still be classed as developing character
Give 3 points that agree with ‘All moral actions are motivated by self interest’
psychological - even if we’re not aware of it all actions are motivated by self-interest
Self interested actions and selfless actions both produce feelings of pleasure
Whether giving/ not giving money to charity is doing what they want to do, acting freely, therefore is in self interest
Give 3 points that disagree with ‘All moral actions are motivated by self interest’
Psychological egoism isn’t free it’s not true self interest
Cannot follow this to provide self interest as Ethical egoism is simply not practical
Can lead to bigotry and destroy community ethos
