Egoism

Question 1

Name a strength of egoism

Answer 1

Each of us are intimately familiar with our own individual wants and needs

Question 2

What is altruism?

Answer 2

A selfless concern for the wellbeing of others

Question 3

What is Einzig ?

Answer 3

Appreciation of oneself as unique

Question 4

What is Einzige?

Answer 4

Freeing your mind and becoming an egoist

Question 5

What is Eigenheit?

Answer 5

The person who thinks they’re free and independent needs to be recognise that to be truly such, they must be freed from all obligation to any conscious ideal

Question 6

What is ethical egoism?

Answer 6

Your actions should be motivated by self interest

Question 7

What is psychological egoism?

Answer 7

The view that explains how all human action is motivated by self interest

Question 8

What is the union of egoists?

Answer 8

Everyone does what is in their own self interest

Question 9

Who argued that human behaviour is motivated by pleasure alone?

Answer 9

Epicurus

Question 10

What are some weaknesses of ethical egoism?

Answer 10

• Ethical egoism can destruct the community if we do what is our best interest, roar means that we aren’t thinking about about actions and how they are going to affect everyone else around us
• social injustices can lead to a selfish approach when acting in self interest and are humans trustworthy enough?

Question 11

What does Stirner believe?

Answer 11

• he believes true egoism is a matter of realising that we driven by religious, philosophical framework of behaviour that enslave us and so endeavour to gain mastery over ourselves.
• the true self needs to be free from any external ideologies and not controlled from within by the senses, so it is truly our self and so unique
• we are not free because we are just doing what our conscience tells us, through feelings such as guilt, which we had little choice or influence in shaping

Question 12

How does ethical egoism consider long term self interests ?

Answer 12

Needs to consider long term self interests because the fulfilment of short term desires may prove detrimental in the future. Therefore, fleeting pleasures take a back seat to longer term aims that benefit the moral agent

Question 13

Stirner idea of true egoism

Answer 13

True egoism is enlisting we are driven by religious, philosophical frameworks of behaviour that enslaves us in order to gain control over our true self. The true self needs to be free from any external ideologies so that it is truly unique.

Question 14

Stirner quote to demonstrate eigenheit

Answer 14

‘I do as I please’ - this is true self interest because to be free is to be your own person, free from external forces

Question 15

Challenges — destruction of a community ethos

Answer 15

• ethical egoism can destroy a community ethos because people will concentrate on their own self interests and therefore ignore the community needs
• could advocate anarchy as there are no rules or guidelines

Question 16

Challenges — social injustices could occur if individuals put their own interests first

Answer 16

• in pursuing ones own interests there will inevitably be a conflict of interests
• this could lead to social injustices and bigotry

Question 17

Why does Stirner say we should also rejector sub-conscious thoughts?

Answer 17

Because they are no more than an inner set of morals imposed by society

Question 18

Why could ethical egoism be considered as a form of bigotry (seeing yourself as superior)?

Answer 18

It divides people into ‘me’ and ‘everyone else’