Ethical Egoism

It’s my proposal paper assignment and this paper due date is Saturday.

ANSWER

Ethical Egoism

Introduction

Ethical egoism proponents claim that a person ought to perform an action if and only if that action is in their own self-interest. It is the normative ethical position that moral agents ought to perform an action based on their own self-interest. Therefore, promoting their own self-interest is in harmony with morality. Ethical egoists claim that it is always moral to seek self-interest and own good and it is not morally right not to endorse the same. This view is held by strong ethical egoists. The weaker account positions that it’s moral to seek self-interest but not essentially immoral not to do so. Ethical egoism also holds the view that nobody has an obligation to promote someone else’s interest.

Ethical Theories

Ethical egoism differs from psychological egoism, rational egoism, ethical altruism, while both altruism and egoism differ from ethical utilitarianism (Baugher, 2012). Psychological egoism is based on the tenet that individuals can only act in their self-interest. Rational egoists claim that it is rational to act for own good. Ethical egoism holds that consequences of actions benefit the doer and this is ethical. Ethical altruism, on the other hand, holds that people have an obligation to help others. Utilitarianism holds that a moral agent should look after self without any higher regard that one has for others (Baugher, 2012). An individual is not obligated to help others and sacrifice his own good. Ethical egoism and ethical altruism are considered to be subjective while utilitarianism is taken to be objective and impartial. Utilitarianism does not consider self and moral agents’ own interests to be more or less superior to the good of others.

In his book “The Methods of Ethics,” Henry Sidgwick introduced the concept of ethical altruism. He compares utilitarianism with egoism stating that egoism aimed only at maximizing individual pleasure (Debeljak, 2008). Proponents of ethical egoism hold that the best way to promote the general good is to pursue own interest. Adam Smith in his work “The Wealth of Nations” famously wrote about insatiable desires and gratification of own interests. The pursuit of these own desires benefits society as a whole. People are taken to be the best judges of what they desire and are more motivated to put more effort to benefit themselves than to achieve anything else (Baugher, 2012). Egoist doctrines are more concerned with seeing perfection being sought to further own good and profit.

Arguments for Ethical Egoism

Proponents of ethical egoism present various arguments in favor of the concept

According to them, individuals are intimately aware of their own interests. They are uniquely placed to seek what they want and need effectively. Individuals also do not know the interests of others too well. They are therefore not well placed to pursue the needs of others. It is thus reasonable to believe that if a person sets out to look out and fulfill the desires of another, she would often fail at the job and end up doing more harm than good.

Ethical egoists also argue that giving someone else charity is to demean him. Helping someone else implies that that other person is unable to cater for himself. Charity usually produces resentment rather than appreciation. Altruism, according to ethical egoists, denies a person his value. It is therefore destructive to the giver and the receiver, and ultimately the whole society. If altruism is to be accepted, then a person’s first concern is to sacrifice himself rather than enjoy his life. Proponents of ethical egoism argue that the basic principle of altruism denies a person’s right to live for his own sake. Catering to others is the only justification for a person’s existence. Self-sacrifice is therefore the person’s most important moral duty, virtue, or value. Morality should be the opposite. It should not teach a person to suffer but rather enjoy himself and live to the fullest extent possible. All generally acknowledged moral duties, from being honest, doing no harm to others, and keeping promises are founded on the fundamental principle of own-interest.

All ethical theories recommend specific actions and forbid others. Ethical egoism endorses looking out for one’s own self-interest. The concept also holds that people are morally obliged to evade having concern for others if by doing so it infringes on own interests or does not further own self-interest.

Standard ethical principles include speaking the truth, being generous, non-maleficence, or not harming others, not insulting others, and fulfilling promises. Ethical theories form a basis, explain, and provide a theoretical explanation for concepts. In telling the truth, for example, the principle suggests that people should speak honestly and not to lie to others (Gates, 2013). Ethical egoism describes why this principle holds and expounds the basis for this individual obligation. Ethical egoism suggests that the reason why people ought not to lie is that if they lie, there is a high likelihood of negatively affecting self-happiness. To ethical egoists, this is enough basis to speak the truth to prevent themselves from impacting their own happiness negatively.

Critique

Ethical egoism comes under criticism from more pertinent arguments. Following the principles of ethical egoism, a person targets at her own self-interest. It may therefore be claimed that seeking one’s own greatest good and interest can clash with another person’s desire creating a conflicting situation (Baugher, 2012). For instance, a young adult may consider his greatest good as murdering his wealthy uncle to inherit his riches. It is the rich uncle’s self-interest to continue enjoying his wealth here in the world, as he deems fit. This creates a conflict of situation. Opponents of this school of thought indicate that conflict is an inherent problem of ethical egoism. They also point out that ethical egoism does not have within it a model of conflict resolution. A solution to such conflicts is a necessary component of any theory that purports to provide an ethical system.

It has also been claimed that hard ethical egoism is both self-contradictory and self-defeating. When confronted with a situation where resources are scarce, ethical egoists would use as much of the resources as possible (Gates, 2013). This will make the whole situation worse for everyone. Egoists reply to this claim by stating that if the situation is worse for everyone including the proponent, then it is not in their sensible self-interest to consume as much as possible and take things to such extremes.

Another problem with ethical egoism is that an ethical egoist would not want everybody to be an ethical egoist (Gates, 2013). The universalization of ethical egoism would deny the egoist more benefits. It is in his own best interest if others were altruistic towards him while he acts in his own self-interest. He will gain more in such a scenario. This is not morally binding. The egoist’s moral principles would require others not to follow this approach, which in itself is self-defeating.

References

Baugher, D. (2012). Egoism, justice, rights, and utilitarianism: student views of classic ethical positions in business. Journal of Academic and Business Ethics. http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/08098.pdf

Debeljak, J. (2008). “Me, myself & I”: practical egoism, selfishness, self‐interest and business ethics. Social Responsibility Journal, Vol. 4 No. 1/2, pp. 217-227. https://doi.org/10.1108/17471110810856974

Gates, D. (2013). Self-interest, ethical egoism, and the restored gospel. BYU Studies Quarterly. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4451&context=byusq