Can I tell you how much I hate ethical egoism? Can I?For some reason, it is a very popular position for undergraduates to hold, that underneath it all we are all motivated by our self interest. But not only that, but that being so motivated is good in the moral sense. I try to point out that this doesn’t make sense of altruism but then the person I am talking to invariably tries to recast altruistic acts as being in the inerest of the actor.
Sure, that completely denies altruism but is the point isn’t it? Argh. I find it to be one of the most sophmoric claims one can make and not just because studies show that, biologically, its not true. Its sophmoric because it denies the purpose of ethics in the first place. Ethics is about how we should act not how do act. Its like Hume never said “is does not imply ought.”
Even if we accept the moral psychology position that our ethics ought to be informed by what our psychology dictates; that is, we ought not be obligated to do things which our psychology cannot allow. Even if we accept that, it still doesn’t follow that just because we have a biological urge to look after our own self-interest that we necessarily should. We can choose not to follow our biological urges, thats what ethics is about, what should we, as non-biologically determined beings, do.
Argh.
I was trying to think of something interesting to write in response, but I’m too hungry!! My biological urges are tramping all over my inclination to comment upon your intriguing remarks concerning Ethical Egoism.
Aw, to hell with this, man, I gotta go eat.
i think ethical egoism doesn’t account for our sentiment that can bee fully expressed (such as sadness and crying) while watching a movie filled with fictional characters. there can be no less of a personal tie than an emotional postition held by a human being concerning another human that does not, in fact, exist.