What is Egoism? (Philosophical Positions)

Summary

This video explores three types of egoism: psychological, ethical, and rational. Psychological egoism suggests all actions serve self-interest, even if seemingly altruistic. Ethical egoism posits that acting in one's self-interest is morally correct. Rational egoism asserts that acting in one's self-interest is the most logical. The video discusses these concepts, challenges to ethical egoism, and the difference between rational egoism and the instrumental theory of rationality, inviting viewers to share their thoughts.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The video discusses three types of egoism: psychological, ethical, and rational egoism.
• 🧠 Psychological egoism suggests that everyone acts in their own interests, even when appearing altruistic.
• 🤔 Ethical egoism posits that it is morally right to do what benefits oneself the most.
• 🤝 Ethical egoism is sometimes criticized for being selfish, but it argues that acting in one's own interest can align with long-term benefits.
• 💭 Rational egoism asserts that acting in one's self-interest is rational, distinguishing between what one wants and what is best for one's well-being.
• 🔄 The instrumental theory of rationality is mentioned, which claims that acting to maximize the likelihood of getting what you want is rational.
• 🚫 Rational egoism contrasts with the instrumental theory by prioritizing what is good for one's well-being over what one simply desires.
• 🤷‍♂️ The video invites viewers to consider and discuss whether people always act in their own self-interest, and whether it is ethical or rational to do so.
• 💥 The video acknowledges potential objections to each egoism type and encourages viewers to share their thoughts and criticisms.
• 📚 The script is part of a series that explores philosophical jargon, aiming to clarify complex concepts for viewers.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is egoism, specifically exploring three different kinds: psychological egoism, ethical egoism, and rational egoism.

What is psychological egoism?

Psychological egoism is the position that all people act only in their own interests, even if they seem to act altruistically. It suggests that every action, including those perceived as selfless, is ultimately motivated by self-interest or perceived self-interest.

How does ethical egoism differ from psychological egoism?

Ethical egoism is a moral stance that claims it is always right to do what would benefit oneself the most. It is about acting in a way that will actually benefit you, not just what you think will benefit you. In contrast, psychological egoism is a descriptive theory about how people actually behave.

What does ethical egoism propose about morality?

Ethical egoism proposes that morality should be about doing what is best for oneself, rather than what is traditionally considered ethical, which might involve sacrificing personal interests for the greater good.

What is rational egoism?

Rational egoism is the view that acting in one's own self-interest is the most rational course of action. It aligns with the idea that pursuing one's well-being is the most logical thing to do.

How does rational egoism relate to the instrumental theory of rationality?

Rational egoism is related to the instrumental theory of rationality in that it suggests acting in a way that maximizes the likelihood of achieving what you want is rational. However, rational egoism focuses on what is best for one's well-being, not just what one desires.

What is the criticism of ethical egoism presented in the video?

The criticism is that ethical egoism might be seen as selfish and greedy, as it suggests acting for one's own benefit above all else. Critics argue that ethics should guide us to act for the good of society, not just personal gain.

How does the video suggest ethical egoism might respond to its critics?

The video suggests that an ethical egoist might argue that their position is not about doing whatever one wants, but about doing what will actually benefit one in the long term, which could include actions like helping others.

What is an example of a situation where rational egoism and the instrumental theory of rationality might disagree?

An example given is the act of suicide. The instrumental theory might consider it rational if it aligns with one's desire to die. However, rational egoism would argue it is irrational if it does not maximize one's long-term well-being.

What is the final call to action for viewers in the video?

The video encourages viewers to offer their thoughts, objections, criticisms, and arguments in support of the discussed types of egoism in the comments below.

What does the video suggest about the nature of altruistic actions?

The video suggests that even altruistic actions, such as volunteering or risking one's life for others, are motivated by self-interest according to psychological egoism, either for personal satisfaction or to avoid self-reproach.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Introduction to Egoism

This paragraph introduces the concept of egoism and distinguishes between three types: psychological, ethical, and rational egoism. Psychological egoism is described as a descriptive position suggesting that all actions are ultimately self-serving, even those that appear altruistic. Ethical egoism is presented as a moral stance advocating that one should always act in their own self-interest, which is considered morally good. Rational egoism is likened to ethical egoism but focuses on the logical aspect of acting in one's own self-interest. The paragraph also touches on potential criticisms of ethical egoism, suggesting that it might be perceived as selfish, but it could also be argued that acting in one's own long-term interest aligns with ethical egoism.

05:01

🤔 Rational Egoism and Suicide

In this paragraph, the discussion shifts to rational egoism, which is concerned with what is best for one's well-being. It contrasts rational egoism with the instrumental theory of rationality, which suggests that acting to achieve one's desires is rational. The paragraph uses the example of suicide to illustrate the difference: while the instrumental theory might deem suicide rational if it aligns with one's desires, rational egoism would only consider it rational if it maximizes long-term well-being. The paragraph concludes by inviting viewers to share their thoughts on the three types of egoism presented, encouraging a discussion on whether people always act in their own self-interest, the ethics of self-interest, and the rationality of such actions.

Keywords

💡Egoism

Egoism is the philosophical view that human actions are motivated by self-interest. In the context of the video, egoism is explored through three different lenses: psychological, ethical, and rational. The script uses egoism as a central theme to discuss whether people inherently act for their own benefit, whether it is morally right to do so, and whether it is rational to act in one's self-interest.

💡Psychological Egoism

Psychological egoism is the idea that all human actions are ultimately self-interested, even if they appear altruistic. The video explains this by suggesting that even acts of charity or self-sacrifice are done to serve one's own interests, such as feeling good about oneself or avoiding guilt. This concept is used to describe the way people behave, not necessarily how they should behave.

💡Ethical Egoism

Ethical egoism is the moral stance that it is right to act in one's own self-interest. The video distinguishes this from psychological egoism by emphasizing that ethical egoism is about doing what will actually benefit oneself, not just what one believes will benefit them. It is presented as a counterpoint to more altruistic ethical theories, suggesting that acting for the greater good may not always align with one's long-term self-interest.

💡Rational Egoism

Rational egoism posits that acting in one's own self-interest is the most logical or rational course of action. The video contrasts this with ethical egoism by arguing that rational egoism is about doing what is best for one's well-being, not just what one desires. It uses the example of suicide to illustrate the difference between what one might want (to die) and what is rational based on long-term well-being.

💡Altruism

Altruism is the selfless concern for the well-being of others, which is often contrasted with egoism. The script challenges the notion of altruism by suggesting that even acts that appear altruistic are actually motivated by self-interest, as per psychological egoism. The video uses altruism to highlight the complexity of human motivations and to explore the limits of egoistic theories.

💡Self-Interest

Self-interest refers to the pursuit of one's own benefits or advantages. In the video, self-interest is a recurring theme across all three types of egoism. It is used to explore the motivations behind human actions and to question whether true altruism exists. The video suggests that even when people seem to act against their self-interest, they are actually serving some aspect of their own well-being.

💡Instrumental Theory of Rationality

The instrumental theory of rationality is mentioned in the video as a way to understand rational action. It suggests that acting in a way that maximizes the likelihood of achieving one's desires is rational. The video contrasts this with rational egoism, which focuses on actions that maximize well-being rather than mere desires. The instrumental theory is used to illustrate the potential divergence between what one wants and what is rational for one's long-term interests.

💡Moral Obligation

Moral obligation is the idea that there are certain actions that are required by morality. In discussing ethical egoism, the video touches on the concept of moral obligation by suggesting that there is a moral duty to act in one's own self-interest. This is contrasted with more traditional moral theories that might emphasize duties to others or to society.

💡Long-Term Well-Being

Long-term well-being is a concept used in the video to discuss what is truly in one's self-interest. It is contrasted with short-term desires or immediate gratification. The video suggests that ethical and rational egoism both require considering the long-term consequences of actions for one's well-being, rather than just immediate benefits.

💡Self-Sacrifice

Self-sacrifice is the act of giving up one's own interests for the benefit of others. The video uses the concept of self-sacrifice to challenge psychological egoism by asking whether such acts are truly self-interested or genuinely altruistic. It is used as an example to explore the complexities of human motivation and the limits of egoistic explanations.

💡Recognition

Recognition refers to the acknowledgment or praise one receives from others. In the context of the video, recognition is mentioned as a potential motivator for seemingly altruistic acts, such as volunteering or charity work. The script suggests that the desire for recognition might be a form of self-interest that drives these actions, thus fitting within the framework of psychological egoism.

Highlights

Introduction to three kinds of egoism: psychological, ethical, and rational.

Definition of psychological egoism as the idea that everyone acts in their own interests.

Explanation that psychological egoism suggests even altruistic acts are self-serving.

Introduction to ethical egoism as a moral position advocating for acting in one's self-interest.

Clarification that ethical egoism is not about doing whatever one wants, but what actually benefits one in the long term.

Discussion on the potential criticism that ethical egoism is selfish and not truly ethical.

Rational egoism presented as the idea that acting in one's self-interest is rational.

Differentiation between rational egoism and the instrumental theory of rationality.

Instrumental theory of rationality defined as acting to maximize the likelihood of getting what you want.

Critique of the instrumental theory for potentially endorsing harmful actions if they align with one's desires.

Rational egoism's stance that actions should maximize long-term well-being, not just align with desires.

Ethical egoism's argument that helping others can ultimately benefit oneself more than immediate self-gratification.

The potential for ethical egoism to be misinterpreted as advocating for greed and selfishness.

Invitation for viewers to offer their thoughts, objections, and arguments in the comments.

Encouragement to watch more videos on the topic for a deeper understanding.

Call to stay skeptical and engage with the content critically.

Transcripts

welcome back to Carnegie store today

we're going to be continuing with

dumbfounding definitions dizzying

distinctions and diabolical doctrines a

series sorting through some of the

jargon of philosophy in this video we're

going to be answering the question what

is egoism now there are three different

kinds of egoism we're going to be

talking about in this video

psychological egoism ethical egoism and

rational egoism the first one is kind of

a more descriptive position about the

way that people act well the second one

is kind of a moral position on what you

should do and the third is how you can

act to act rationally they all relate to

though what you want to do and your own

well-beings let's take a look

psychological egoism is a position about

the way that people behave according to

psychological egoism everyone acts only

in their own interests only in such a

way to actually benefit themselves even

though people may seem to act

altruistically they're actually only

acting for their own self-interest or

perhaps what they perceive as their own

self-interest

the psychological egoist would claim

that someone that works for the benefit

of others doing volunteer work working

for charity jumping on a grenade diving

in front of a ball at these kind of

things is actually doing it to

themselves either to make themselves

feel good because they like the

recognition fraud they get from doing

good etc etc they couldn't live with

themselves if they hadn't have jumped in

front of that bullet or on that grenade

and so on and so forth

whatever the case may be all of their

actions are

only to serve themselves according to

psychological egoism in the end all

you're doing is acting in some way to

serve yourself there's no truly

altruistic motives you may end up not

serving yourself in some way but your

motives are to serve yourself ethical

egoism on the other hand is an ethical

position which claims that it is always

right to do what would benefit you the

most it is morally good to do whatever

will give the best

outcome for you not necessarily what you

believe will give you the best outcome

but will actually give the best outcome

for you it is morally obligatory that

you act in your own self-interest okay

note the important distinction here

between the psychological egoism

and the idea of acting in such a way

that you think it will benefit you and

ethical egoism in such a way of acting

such that it will actually benefit you

one might object to this position that

it's not actually what we mean by ethics

it seems so kind of greedy and selfish

that in fact ethics should prevent us

from doing what we want and make us work

for the good of society in somewhere

however an ethical egoist might respond

to these criticisms by claiming that

their position is not actually saying

that it is ethical to do whatever you

want but rather what will benefit you

the most in the long term you could want

to do one thing but actually have

something else be a benefit to you in

the long term I might want to smoke

drink and eat ice cream every day but

that's not going to benefit me in the

long term and one could argue that doing

things like helping others and being

kind and those kind of other duties that

always come out of other ethical

theories will in fact benefit you more

in the long term than just doing

whatever you want therefore what you

should do is more than what you want to

do there are some other objections to

ethical egoism but I'll let you offer

those yourselves in the comments below

now rational egoism is the third type of

egoism we're going to be looking at

rational egoism is similar to ethical

egoism in that it attributes something

to the person that acts in their own

self-interest

well ethical egoism claims that someone

that acts in their own self-interest is

ethical or good rational egoism claims

that someone that acts in their own

self-interest is logical or rational now

once again we'll have to look at the

distinction between what one wants and

what

what is best for one's well-being while

rational egoism claims that doing what

is best for your well-being is rational

the instrumental theory of rationality

claims that acting to maximize the

likelihood of the things you want to

come true basically is rational to

understand this distinction imagine that

you want something that will not

maximize your well-being like to commit

suicide

the instrumental theory would claim that

this is rational so long as it's in line

with what you want so it would be

rational to take a gun and shoot

yourself in the head because that is

going to get you what you want that's

going to be the most logical path

perhaps to get you what you want which

is to die while the rational egoist

might claim that since it's probably not

going to maximize your well-being it

would be irrational now if there were

some situation in which killing yourself

would maximize your well-being such as

jumping on a grenade because you would

feel guilty for the rest of your life

and feel horrible because you hadn't

done it and so on and so forth then the

rational egoist might sanction it

because it would actually be useful for

your long-term well-being but if in fact

committing suicide isn't useful for your

long-term well-being the rational egoist

is going to say it doesn't matter what

you want it matters what's good for you

that's what's rational where's the

instrumental theory is going to save

matters what you want not what's good

for you ok there are many objections

each of these positions and concerns to

be raised this has just been a very

basic introduction to these three

different positions what do you think do

people always act in their own

self-interest is it ethical to act in

your own self-interest is it rational

offer your thoughts objections

criticisms arguments in support of in

the comments below watch this video and

more here at cardi's org and stay

skeptical everybody