CPA Ethical Egoism (Outdated)
Summary
TLDREthical egoism is a normative theory that posits pursuing self-interest is ethically correct, as it assumes everyone acts in their own self-interest. It is a subset of teleological theories, focusing on the consequences of actions rather than intentions. Unlike psychological egoism, which describes how people actually behave, ethical egoism prescribes how they should act. The theory distinguishes between self-interest, which is pursuing actions that benefit oneself, and selfishness, which disregards the values and well-being of others. Enlightened self-interest suggests making informed decisions that consider both present and future benefits, promoting a balance between personal gain and ethical behavior.
Takeaways
- 📚 Ethical egoism is a normative theory that suggests acting in one's self-interest is ethically correct.
- 🔍 It is a subset of teleological theories, which focus on the consequences of actions rather than the intentions behind them.
- 🤔 Ethical egoism assumes that everyone naturally acts in their own self-interest, guiding how people should behave.
- 🏖 In the example of Sam, ethical egoism would justify him going on a holiday over volunteering, as it aligns with his self-interest.
- 🚫 Ethical egoism should not be confused with psychological egoism, which describes how people actually behave, not how they should.
- 🤝 The pursuit of self-interest does not equate to selfishness; it's about making decisions that benefit oneself without disregard for others.
- 👫 Sharing the Lego set in the example illustrates that acting in self-interest can also maintain and strengthen relationships.
- 💡 Enlightened self-interest involves being aware and informed about how one's actions can benefit both present and future self-interests.
- 👨👩👧👦 Parents can guide children to understand enlightened self-interest, teaching them the long-term benefits of sharing over selfishness.
- 🔄 Ethical egoism is a nuanced concept that differentiates between immediate self-interest and the broader implications of one's actions on personal ethics.
Q & A
What is ethical egoism?
-Ethical egoism is a normative theory that posits acting in one's own self-interest is ethically correct, assuming that everyone naturally acts in their own self-interest.
How does ethical egoism fit within the broader categories of normative theories?
-Ethical egoism is a subset of teleological theories, which focus on the consequences and outcomes of actions rather than intentions.
What is the difference between ethical egoism and psychological egoism?
-Psychological egoism describes how people actually behave, focusing on the fact that individuals typically act in their own self-interest. In contrast, ethical egoism is a normative theory that prescribes how people should behave, suggesting that it is ethical to act in one's self-interest.
Is it acceptable to act in one's self-interest according to ethical egoism?
-Yes, according to ethical egoism, it is not only acceptable but also ethically correct to make decisions or choose actions that benefit oneself.
What is the example given in the script to illustrate ethical egoism?
-The script presents a scenario where Sam must decide between using his savings for a beach holiday or volunteering to teach English in Africa. Ethical egoism would justify Sam choosing the holiday as it aligns with his self-interest.
How does the script differentiate between self-interest and selfishness?
-Self-interest, as viewed by ethical egoism, involves making decisions that result in net benefits for the decision-maker. It is not synonymous with selfishness, which disregards the values and feelings of others and lacks concern for fairness.
What is enlightened self-interest and how does it relate to ethical egoism?
-Enlightened self-interest is an extension of self-interest where a person is aware and informed about the long-term consequences of their actions. It suggests that acting in one's self-interest can also benefit others and society at large, leading to a more harmonious outcome.
In the Lego set example, how does ethical egoism influence John's decision to share with Paul?
-Ethical egoism would suggest that John might choose to share his Lego set with Paul because it could maintain their friendship and ensure that John is also allowed to play with Paul's toys in the future, thus serving his self-interest.
What are the potential benefits of acting in enlightened self-interest according to the script?
-The script implies that acting in enlightened self-interest can lead to maintaining relationships, fostering a sense of fairness, and potentially receiving reciprocal benefits, which all contribute to one's long-term well-being.
How does the script suggest parents can guide a child to understand enlightened self-interest?
-The script indicates that parents can guide their children by demonstrating the negative consequences of selfishness and the positive outcomes of sharing, thus teaching them the principles of enlightened self-interest.
What is the final takeaway about ethical egoism from the script?
-The script concludes that ethical egoism is a teleological theory that endorses the pursuit of self-interest as ethical, but it is crucial to distinguish this concept from selfishness and to consider the broader implications of actions through the lens of enlightened self-interest.
Outlines
🤔 Ethical Egoism: Self-Interest as a Normative Theory
Ethical egoism is a normative theory that posits self-interest as the ethically correct behavior. It is a subset of teleological theories, which focus on the consequences of actions rather than intentions. The theory suggests that everyone acts in their own self-interest, and thus, it is acceptable to prioritize one's own benefits. It contrasts with psychological egoism, which describes how people actually behave. Ethical egoism does not equate to selfishness; it is about making decisions that are in one's own best interest. An example given is Sam's dilemma between going on a holiday or volunteering to teach English in Africa. Ethical egoism would justify Sam choosing the holiday as it aligns with his self-interest. The concept of enlightened self-interest is introduced as a more informed and aware pursuit of self-interest, which can lead to better decision-making in the long term.
🚫 Self-Interest vs. Selfishness: The Distinction
This paragraph emphasizes the distinction between self-interest and selfishness within the context of ethical egoism. Self-interest is ethically acceptable and is about making decisions that benefit oneself, whereas selfishness is characterized by a disregard for others' values and a lack of concern for fairness. The example of John and his Lego set illustrates this point. If John, acting out of selfishness, does not share his Lego set with his friend Paul, he exhibits a lack of concern for Paul's feelings and the value of their friendship. However, if John acts in enlightened self-interest, he might choose to share, understanding the long-term benefits of maintaining a good relationship and the potential for reciprocity. The paragraph clarifies that ethical egoism supports the pursuit of self-interest, not the display of selfish behavior.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Ethical Egoism
💡Teleological Theory
💡Deontological Theories
💡Self-Interest
💡Psychological Egoism
💡Enlightened Self-Interest
💡Normative Theory
💡Selfishness
💡Ethical Dilemma
💡Consequences
Highlights
Ethical egoism is a normative theory based on self-interest.
It is a subset of teleological theories, focusing on consequences and outcomes.
Ethical egoism assumes that everyone acts in their own self-interest.
The theory suggests that pursuing self-interest is ethically correct.
Ethical egoism should not be confused with psychological egoism, which describes actual behavior.
According to ethical egoism, it is acceptable to make decisions that benefit oneself.
Sam's ethical dilemma between a holiday and volunteering illustrates the theory's application.
Ethical egoism would consider it ethically correct for Sam to choose the holiday.
Self-interest should not be equated with selfishness, which lacks concern for others.
Enlightened self-interest involves being aware and informed about one's actions and decisions.
John's Lego set example demonstrates the difference between selfishness and self-interest.
Enlightened self-interest might lead to sharing the Lego set without prompting.
Parents can guide decisions based on enlightened self-interest, understanding long-term benefits.
Ethical egoism is a teleological theory where self-interest pursuit is considered ethical.
Transcripts
ethical egoism is a theory that is based
on self-interest that is the pursuit of
self inch
that it ethically correct since the
theory assumes that everyone acts in
their own self-interest before we look
at ethical egoism in more detail let's
look at the entire concept map of all
normative theories so we know exactly
where ethical egoism fits in there are
two broad categories of normative
theories namely teleological and
deontological theories ethical egoism is
a subset of teleological theory so we
know that ethical egoism is a normative
theory which means that it is a theory
that focuses on how people should or
ought to behave we also know that it is
a branch of cherry logical theory this
means that it focuses on the
consequences and outcomes of a decision
rather than on intention as stated
earlier ethical egoism is a theory that
is based on self-interest that is the
pursuit of self-interest is considered
ethically correct since the theory
assumes that everyone acts in their own
self-interest it is important to note
that ethical egoism is still a normative
theory and should not be confused with
psychological egoism psychological
egoism describes how people actually
behave
whereas normative theories describes how
people should behave so according to
ethical egoism it is okay or acceptable
to make a decision or choose an action
that benefits oneself for example Sam
has been saving for a beach holiday
prior to Sam finalizing his travel plans
his uncle a volunteer at educate our
children charity informed him of the
organization's desperate need for
volunteer to teach English and literacy
to poverty-stricken children in Africa
the cost of flying out and finding
accommodation in the remote town would
cost just as much as his planned holiday
further you would have to use up all
he's accumulated and you leave Sam is
facing an ethical dilemma if we were to
use ethical egoism
what would Sam's decision be and why in
terms of ethical egoism it would be
acceptable to pursue one self-interest
thus in terms of this theory
it would be ethically correct if Sam
chose to go on the holiday instead of
volunteering to teach the children in
Africa from our understanding of what
ethical egoism is and its application to
Sam's ethical dilemma we know that
self-interest is the foundation of this
theory however it is important to not
confuse self-interest
with selfishness the pursuit of
self-interest is choosing an option that
would result in a decision-maker
receiving the net benefits selfishness
refers to the lack of concern for the
values of others it refers to someone
who does not care about others and does
not care about fairness
for example John has a Lego set his
friend Paul does not own a Lego set so
based on ethical egoism watch it John do
when Paul comes over to play if John was
selfish he would not share his Lego set
with Paul at all he would not care about
Paul's feelings or value his friendship
he would also not care about the
consequences of not sharing if John has
acting in self-interest he will decide
to share his Lego set he does not miss
out on claim so this is not really going
to hurt his self-interest but Paul also
gets to play as a result John is likely
to receive other benefits as well
he will maintain friendship with Paul
and John knows that Paul owns a chain
set so he knows that when he goes over
to play at Paul's house Paul will let
him play with the chains therefore we
can see how the pursuit of self-interest
is not the same as selfishness let's
build on the foundation of self-interest
and consider the concept of enlightened
self-interest enlightened basically
means being aware of an informed or
having an all around insight so if we
add this to our current understanding of
self-interest it means that we are well
aware of and informed about our actions
and decisions that would result in
present and future
self-interest enlightened self-interest
might be applicable in John's case and
he may decide to share without any
prompting however if John is not old in
a
to understand and act selfishly then his
parents will probably help guide his
decisions about sharing because they
understand the problems linked to being
selfish and the benefits attached to
sharing they are the ones who will
demonstrate how enlightened
self-interest works to recap ethical
egoism is a teleological theory in terms
of this theory the pursuit of
self-interest is ethical but this should
not be confused with selfishness
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