1C: Ethical Egoism

Question 1

What is ethical egoism?

Answer 1

A normative ethical theory that states that moral agents, when faced with a moral dilemma, ought to do what is in their own self interest

Question 2

How does ethical egoism work?

Answer 2

• the consequences of actions should be considered
• if a particular action would create a beneficial consequence for the moral agent then this can be considered ethically good

Question 3

How did Auguste Comte define altruism?

Answer 3

“living for the sake of others”

Question 4

What is psychological egoism?

Answer 4

the view that humans are always motivated by self interest, even if it seems to be an act of altruism (eg when moral agents choose to help others, they do so because of the personal benefits they expect to gain directly or indirectly)

Question 5

Why is ethical egoism considered the ideal normative ethic to follow?

Answer 5

It supports our natural psychological state

Question 6

James Rachels: “Ethical egoism endorses ___________, but it doesn’t endorse ___________”

Answer 6

selfishness, foolishness

Question 7

What is the name of Stirner’s book?

Answer 7

‘The Ego and Its Own’

Question 8

How does Stirner argue that all our actions are done for self interest?

Answer 8

• Self interest is the root cause of an individuals every action, even when they are apparently doing altruistic actions
• “I am everything to myself and I do everything on my own”
• Even love is an example of selfishness because love makes one happy. He sees all other people purely as a means for self enjoyment
• He justifies this by claiming that all individuals are unique and should reject any attempts to restrict or deny their uniqueness
• Individuals should maximise their uniqueness by concentrating all their actions on themselves
• We must treat ourselves as the ‘highest being’

Question 9

How does Stirner reject material gain?

Answer 9

• He rejects the idea that EE is about monetary gain because greed is just one part of the ego
• To spend one’s life pursuing only that part of our ego is to deny all other parts of our ego
• He called the pursuit of monetary gain “one sided, narrow egoism”

Question 10

What is Stirner’s idea of ‘union of egoists’?

Answer 10

• It is his alternative way of organising modern society but on egoist principles
• People would unite in ‘unions’ based on free agreement, equality of all members, and the mutual self interest of those involved
• Therefore, unions would exist to ensure they maximise an individuals self enjoyment , pleasure, freedom and individuality, as well as ensuring that those involved sacrifice nothing while belonging to them

Question 11

What does Stirner say about giving to charity?

Answer 11

He doesn’t give a fixed response to the question of if EEs should give to charity, beyond saying an egoist will do as they please - in whatever way will serve their own interests

Question 12

According to Stirner, what delusion must the true self reject?

Answer 12

The belief that we are actually free to make moral choices
- He says we are misguided when we think we’re choosing our own moral actions because actually, unless we have ‘realised our ownness’, we are basically controlled by religious or philosophical systems of morality
- We must reject such systems or we will never be free to develop ourselves as moral beings

Question 13

According to Stirner, what is “realising your ownness”? (Eigenheit)

Answer 13

• ‘Realising’ means ‘making something happen’
• We cannot be masters of ourselves and serve our own interests unless we shake off any other influencing authorities whether it’s religious, cultural, legal etc

Question 14

According to Stirner, what is “realising your uniqueness”? (Einzig)

Answer 14

• The stage that follows after a person has realised their owners
• The influencing authorities that they have shaken off had the effect of ‘homogenising’ people (making them the same as each other’
• Once a person is their own master, they can develop their uniqueness and decide how to best serve their own interests

Question 15

Stirner: “I shall be the _____ of every ______ _____”

Answer 15

enemy, higher, power

Question 16

Challenge - destruction of community ethos

Answer 16

• EE will inevitably lead to destruction of community ethos
• could advocate anarchy and official opposition towards the state
• A community ethos can be seen as a group of people working together for the greater good of their community
• Stanford Encyclopaedia: “Whilst individuals have no duty to overthrow the state, Stirner does think the state will eventually collapse as a result of the spread of egoism”

Question 17

Challenge - social injustices

Answer 17

• EE encourages the pursuit of an individuals own interests
• However, an individuals pursuit of their own self interest could read to other individuals suffering

Question 18

Challenge - ethical egoism as a form of bigotry

Answer 18

• EE encourages bigotry
• A bigot is a prejudiced person, especially one who is intolerant towards different groups of people
• Bigots tend to believe their group is superior to other groups of people, therefore they divide people into themselves and others
• It is a form of bigotry because it divides people

Question 19

How would Stirner respond to the challenge of destruction of community ethos?

Answer 19

• It is the very aim to free people that is the formula that enslaves them
• (This claim has often been interpreted as advocating anarchy and official opposition towards the state)

Question 20

Reasons to suggest ethical egoism inevitably leads to moral evil

Answer 20

• Stirner: “I decide whether it is the right thing in me; there is no right outside me”
• EE has been accused of encouraging bigotry through promoting self interest over others and seeing oneself as more important

Question 21

Reasons to suggest ethical egoism does not inevitably lead to moral evil

Answer 21

• Stirner’s vision of the self leads to a virtuous self interest: “I love because loving is natural to me, because it pleases me. I know no “commandment of love”
• Psychological egoism and ethical egoism both support the idea that a focus on self interest can lead to moral good

Question 22

Reasons to suggest all moral actions are motivated by self interest

Answer 22

• Psychological egoism; whether we like it or not, we are all driven by self interest
• Richard Norman: “In caring for other people, I do so because I think it will make my own life happier”
• Ethical egoism suggests the best way forward is to be motivated by self interest
• Julia Driver: “Psychological egoism is a theory of human nature that purports to describe what motivates people to act. Ethical egoism […] is normative. It purports to tell us how people ought to act”
• Frankena: “An ethical egoist need not be an egotist or even an egotistic and selfish man […]. EE is an ethical theory, not a pattern of action or trait of character” - self interest is a bad thing

Question 23

Reasons to suggest all moral actions are not motivated by self interest

Answer 23

• Peter Cave: “Sometimes people act simply for the sake of others. Parents help children for the children’s sake. Environmentalists save the beaches whale for the sake of that whale beached”