Ethical egoism essay example topics and well written. Psychological egoism is a theory of human psychology claiming that all human actions. Doing the right thing means abiding by the agreements that the members of a rational society would choose. We will see how three different views, known as psychological egoism, ethical egoism, and social contract theory, address this question. Psychological egoism is a purely descriptive theory that purports to describe a basic fact about human nature. Ethical egoism also differs from rational egoism, which holds that it is rational to act in ones selfinterest. It takes two versions the individual and the universal ethical egoism.
Ethics four branches 3 metaethics the study of ethical terms, statements and judgements. Psychological vs ethical egoism essay 1167 words bartleby. Upon that foundation, hobbes developed a normative theory known as social contract theory, which is a type of rule ethical egoism. While the ethical egoism focuses on the perception that people help others as a way of helping themselves to be better, the social contract theory defines the moral values that should guide people while helping others. Upon that foundation, hobbes developed a normative theory known as social contract theory, which is a type of ruleethicalegoism. Psychological egoism vs ethical egoism flow psychology. The human tendency toward being an egotistegoist is no surprise from a biblical perspective. The aim of a social contract theory is to show that members of some society have reason to endorse and comply with the fundamental social rules, laws, institutions, andor principles of that society. Objectivist ethical egoism is a particular ethical theory that defies all three of these categorizations. Beyond the chorus of indignation the jerusalem post. Both utilitarianism and ethical egoism are theories within consequentialism that focus on the outcome of conduct as the primary motivation of that action and any. Ethical egoism says we should do what is really best for ourselves in the long run.
Compare and contrast ethical egoism with virtue theory. The theory of ethical egoism offers a suitable platform for justification in every action one engages. Ethical egoism, like utilitarianism, is a teleological theory, which means it focuses on. An ethical theory isnt necessarily a guide to moral decisionmaking in hard cases. It is natural to be principally interested in the welfare of others descriptive claim.
Jan 23, 2015 egoism vs altruism the difference between egoism and altruism highlights the differences between two extreme human natures. Among the subjects that have been part of it is the topic about psychological egoism vs. Download citation egoism, reason, and the social contract bernard gerts distinctive. Utilitarianism is the philosophy that says everyone has utility which is of moral worth and that the relative utility of any action must be judged. Egoism vs altruism the difference between egoism and altruism highlights the differences between two extreme human natures. The major difference between utilitarianism and ethical egoism is where those acts are directed. Egoism and social contract theory at loyola high school. This simply means that individuals, when faced with a moral dilemma, should consider which of their options will protect, benefit, or serve their own self. Ethical egoism is a normative position telling you what you ought to do whereas psychological egoism is a descriptive position purporting to describe how people actually behave. Utilitarianism holds that the amount of happiness and suffering. To tell if its true we need to do experiments and research actual behavior. Egoism also refers to the belief that selfinterest is the motivation for andor the valid end of all action. Psychological egoism is the belief that human beings always act in what they perceive to. Contract theory proposes thinking about ethics in terms of agreements between people.
Ethical theory serves as the foundation for ethical solutions to the difficult situations people encounter in life. In contrast, egoism is the philosophical view that human beings do, or should, always act for their own benefit. Some people believe that if we live according to a social contract, we can live morally by our own choice and not because a divine being requires it. The fall from grace on the part of managers and their firms increases the need to develop. Ethical egoists do not believe you should pursue the interests of others as well as your own interests, rather they believe you. James rachels and stuart rachels the elements of moral philosophy. Ethical egoism and social contract theory we have seen that thomas hobbes was an advocate of the methaethical theory of psychological egoism the view that all of our actions are selfishly motivated. Regardless, ethical egoism can be co nsidered quite controversial since it enables people to justify their selfcentered attitude and actions, especially if the actions come at the expense of others. Pdf three general theories of ethics and the integrative. Egoism and altruism can be considered as two different terms. I will not, however, use this entry to argue for why i think ethical egoism is correct.
Virtue ethics states that character matters above all else. In religions, good acts are rewarded in the afterlife, while bad acts condemn the perpetrator to an everlasting punishment. Consequentialism is a moral theory that states that the consequences of ones actions are the basis for any morality or judgment toward that action. These highlight two extremes of the nature of human beings. Lecture 8 social contract theory university of british. Consequentialism when you were a child, your parents tried to teach you. David massey there are generally two types of egoism that are discussed by moral philosophers. Philosophy, test 4, social contract theory and ethical egoism. Divine command theory also provides an explanation of why ethics and morality are so important. Psychological egoism, by contrast, asserts that each person does in fact pursue his or her own selfinterest. It addresses the meaning of ethical terms such as right, duty, obligation, justification, morality, responsibility.
Psychological and ethical egoism, mill vs kant, and ethical relativism 904 words 4 pages. Difference between egoism and altruism compare the. Sample album entry with comments conclusion social contract theory and ethical egoism have extremely opposite views on the morality of raping someone who is unconscious. The question of whether an ethical egoist should let anyone know that he was an ethical egoist. Ethical egoism claims that each person ought to pursue his or her own selfinterest exclusively. Social contract theory thomas hobbes state of nature we implicitly accept a social contract establishment of moral rules to govern relations among citizens government capable of enforcing these rules jeanjacques rousseau in ideal society, no one above rules that prevents society from enacting bad rules. A final type of ethical egoism is conditional egoism. Hence, ethical egoism cannot be an ethical theory because any theory must be universalizable, or it does not qualify as a theory. Hobbes, thomas lloyd major reference works wiley online. Psychological egoism is the belief that human beings always act in what they perceive to be their own, individual, best interest. Kantianism, utilitarianism, and social contract theory examples of objectivism so are divine command theory and ethical egoism, but we rejected these as poor bases for ethical argumentation. One ought always to maximize ones own selfinterest a normative theory act egoism. It is natural to be principally selfinterested descriptive claim ethical egoism.
Social contract theory social contract theory says that people live together in society in accordance with an agreement that establishes moral and political rules of behavior. However, social contract theory is rightly associated with modern moral and. Oct 12, 2019 ethical egoism is the view that people ought to pursue their own selfinterest, and no one has any obligation to promote anyone elses interests. Psychological egoism is a controversial claim as it implies that human beings are not capable of genuine altruism. As we saw above, the psychological view which ethical egoism is built upon is probably false. Act utilitarianism au is the moral theory that holds that the morally right action, the act. For example, selfinterested behavior can be accepted and applauded if it leads to the betterment of society as a whole. One ought always to maximize ones own selfinterest a normative theory actegoism. Ethical egoism is the normative ethical position that moral agents ought to act in their own selfinterest. The only difference in the statement is ethical egoism uses ought to while psychological egoism uses does.
Ethical dilemmas and the process of effective resolution. What are the similarities between ethical egoism and. It also requires the avoidance of vices like greed, jealousy, and selfishness. Social contract theory says that people live together in society in accordance with an agreement that establishes moral and political rules of behavior. Living an ethical life, or acting rightly, requires developing and demonstrating the virtues of courage, compassion, wisdom, and temperance. One has an obligation to pursue solely what is best for oneself normative claim psychological altruism. Indeed, ethical egoism and the social contract theory directly relate to each other. Social contract theory internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Egoism is a view that states that what a person wants is somewhat relevant to what humans actually do. Here are a few ethical theories to whet your appetite. Some people would happily trade peace, security, and a high standard of living for the thrills, hazards, and even higher standard of living that might be obtained by crime.
Well then, it looks like you have found the difference. Ethical egoism theory explained hrf february 29th, 2020. A descriptive theory of human nature about how humans in fact do must behave always exclusively in own interest ee. Some contemporary frameworks, such as social contract theory, analyze ethical issues using both normative tools and empirical analysis donaldson and dunfee, 1994. In this chapter, we will explore ethical egoism, which is the prescriptive theory that you should always act in your selfinterest. Analyze whether this fact is sufficient to prove that the motive for helping others is ultimately one of pleasure or of selfinterest. Hence, ethical egoism cannot be an ethical theory because any theory must be universalizable, or it is not a theory. Ethical egoism holds, therefore, that actions whose consequences will. Explore the consequentialist theories of ethical egoism and utilitarianism and test your understanding with a brief quiz. The theory provides a facile excuse for selfish action i. Throughout history, a few moral theories have surfaced and have been analyzed for their strengths and weaknesses. Social contract theory, nearly as old as philosophy itself, is the view that persons moral andor political obligations are dependent upon a contract or agreement among them to form the society in which they live. This is the theory that egoism is morally acceptable or right if it leads to morally acceptable ends. A normative theory about how people ought to behave they should act.
So are divine command theory and ethical egoism, but we rejected these. Quite often people are pleased when they can help others. In this respect, ethical egoism is quite different from psychological egoism, the theory that all our actions are ultimately selfinterested. It is the application of the principles of objectivist metaphysics and epistemology to the task of maintaining and enriching the active process that is ones own life. Analysis of the language, concepts and methods of resoning in ethics. Utilitarianism is the prominent type of consequentialist ethical theory, which more generally define the right action in terms of the consequences the action produces.
So for contract theorists, ethics isnt necessarily about character, consequences, or principles. A contract depends on external power because one gives up his liberty with an assurance he will get something in return. Start studying philosophy, test 4, social contract theory and ethical egoism. Contemporary approaches to the social contract stanford. Jan 02, 2020 egoism is a preoccupation with oneself yet may be without the inflated selfimportance. So for contract theorists, ethics isnt necessarily about. The beliefs on egoism in relation to human behavior. There are several reasons to thing that ethical egoism is false. Psychological egoism before we discuss ethical egoism, we should discuss a theory it is often confused withpsychological egoism.
However, the problem with social contract theory in relation to ethical egoism is that not every selfinterested individual considers these things equally important. A theory is a systematic body of thought, starting with very general principles or. The three competing approaches to ethical analysis are consequentialism, deontology, and virtue eth in consequentialist ethics, the moral content of an action is determined by the real and. It differs from psychological egoism, which claims that people can only act in their selfinterest. Abstract ethical egoism and utilitarianism frameworks are fundamentally different. Social contract 2 when mutual renouncing occurs, that is called a contract, which is upheld by external authority. James rachels and stuart rachels the elements of moral. Ethical egoism is a form of morality that states that all moral decisions should be made to benefit selfinterest. Ethical egoism is a claim about what is morally good or bad, whereas psychological egoism is a claim about human psychology.
Oct 01, 2009 social contract theory is based on the idea that humans are by nature psychologically egotistical, or selfish, and that we choose to enter into a social contract with our rulers and governments in which we exchange certain freedoms freedoms to act in selfish ways for the infrastructure, relationships, and protections freedom from others. Egoism, reason, and the social contract researchgate. Universalizing the theory, in practice, seems to result in selfcontradiction. Instead, in the first instance, it attempts to organize and explain common ethical opinions. In short, social contract theory would be appalled by the idea of raping an unconscious person because that is one of the rights we must give up in order to live in a society. Social contract theory, contractarianism and contractualism the first major normative ethical theory we discussed was utilitarianism, which defines the right action as the one that maximizes utility. Difference between ethical egoism ee and psychological egoism pe pe. Ethical egoism is the principle that only your own interests are of moral worth. Egoism refers to the quality of being excessively selfcentered, or else selfish. Ethical theories two types of ethical theories i teleological theories value based theories an act is morally right if it promotes the good or what has value. It takes life and value as the fundamental ethical concepts. The theory states that it is sufficient and necessary for action to stand as morally right if it maximizes ones self interest shafferlandau 193. Psychological egoism, hedonism and ethical egoism psychological egoism is the general term used to describe the basic observation that humans mostly or always act selfishly. One ought to do that action that maximizes selfinterest.
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