CPA Ethical Egoism (Outdated)

Summary

Ethical 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

00:00

🤔 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.

05:02

🚫 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.

Keywords

💡Ethical Egoism

Ethical egoism is a normative ethical theory that posits acting in one's own self-interest is ethically correct. It is based on the idea that individuals inherently pursue their own interests and that doing so is morally justified. In the script, ethical egoism is contrasted with psychological egoism, emphasizing that it is a theory of how people should behave, not how they do behave. The example of Sam choosing between a beach holiday and volunteering in Africa illustrates the application of ethical egoism, where choosing the holiday would be ethically acceptable under this theory.

💡Teleological Theory

Teleological theories, also known as consequentialist theories, focus on the outcomes or consequences of actions as the primary determinant of their moral value. Ethical egoism is a subset of teleological theories, suggesting that the moral worth of an action is judged by the extent to which it promotes the self-interest of the agent. The script explains that ethical egoism is a normative theory within this category, emphasizing the importance of consequences over intentions.

💡Deontological Theories

Deontological theories are a category of normative ethical theories that determine the morality of an action based on whether that action itself is right or wrong, rather than the consequences of the action. The script contrasts teleological theories, which include ethical egoism, with deontological theories, highlighting the different ethical frameworks that exist and how they approach moral decision-making.

💡Self-Interest

Self-interest, in the context of ethical egoism, refers to the pursuit of one's own benefit or advantage. The script clarifies that acting in self-interest is considered ethically correct within ethical egoism. It is important to note that self-interest does not equate to selfishness; it is about making decisions that benefit oneself without necessarily disregarding the interests of others, as seen in the example of Sam's dilemma.

💡Psychological Egoism

Psychological egoism is the theory that people always act in their own self-interest, regardless of their intentions or the moral implications. The script distinguishes psychological egoism from ethical egoism, noting that the former is a descriptive theory about how people actually behave, while the latter is a normative theory about how people should behave based on self-interest.

💡Enlightened Self-Interest

Enlightened self-interest is the concept that one's long-term self-interest is best served by considering the interests of others and acting in ways that are mutually beneficial. The script introduces this concept as an extension of self-interest, suggesting that being informed and aware of the broader implications of one's actions can lead to decisions that are not only good for oneself but also for others, as illustrated by the example of John sharing his Lego set.

💡Normative Theory

Normative theories are theories that prescribe how people ought to act, providing a framework for moral decision-making. The script places ethical egoism within the broader category of normative theories, emphasizing that it offers guidance on what actions are considered ethical based on the principle of self-interest.

💡Selfishness

Selfishness is characterized by a lack of concern for the values or needs of others, focusing solely on one's own interests without regard for fairness or the consequences of one's actions. The script contrasts selfishness with the pursuit of self-interest within ethical egoism, highlighting that acting in self-interest does not necessarily mean one is selfish, as it can still involve consideration for others, as in the case of John sharing his Lego set.

💡Ethical Dilemma

An ethical dilemma is a situation that requires a choice between options that involve conflicting moral principles or values. The script presents Sam's decision between going on a holiday or volunteering in Africa as an ethical dilemma, illustrating how ethical egoism would guide him to choose the option that aligns with his self-interest.

💡Consequences

In teleological theories, including ethical egoism, the consequences of actions are central to determining their moral value. The script discusses how ethical egoism evaluates actions based on their outcomes, particularly how they affect the self-interest of the individual. This is exemplified in the script's discussion of Sam's decision, where the consequences of his choice are weighed in terms of his personal interests.

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