The Need to Psychological Egoism in Life - 682 Words

I have always looked at myself as an unselfish person with a good sense of empathy towards my friends and other people. I have always thought about egoism as something solely negative. That was before I knew the true meaning and concept of the word. Now I am no longer so sure; is it possible to be an absolute altruist? Is it possible to keep going on an absolute altruistic line of life without any egoistic subsidiary interference? Psychological egoism is a human beings factual motivation in life. Psychological egoism builds around that our intended actions are always controlled by our own interests, wishes and motives. We are motivated by a wish to accomplish a sort of self-fulfillment, meaning that our actions in all aspects of our lives (from buying a sandwich because we are hungry, to studying for an exam to get a good grade) are all done because it is for our own beneficial interests, wishes and motives. The definition for ethical egoism is basically â€Å"how we ought to act†. Ethical egoism builds itself around the idea that the best way to promote collective reimbursement, is to follow self-interests. By always striving for our own personal self-fulfillment a person will better be able to promote what is in the best interest of the community, more so than always striving to promote the community’s interests. A person is able to hold a sociable role that supports the general public by taki ng care of his or her own well-being and self-interest first. The relationshipShow MoreRelatedAltruism And Egoism : A Moral Code Of Conduct1417 Words   |  6 PagesIn psychology, altruism and egoism are two contrasting views on morality, one holding that one should value principles/actions that benefit others over oneself, the other holding that not only are we innately selfish species, but that selfishness is how one ought to act. While both theories of morality are prevalent throughout history and cultures around the world, I will be examining the two sides of egoism: physiological and ethical, and how these can be connected to altruism. These theories areRead MoreEgoism And Ethical Egoism1291 Words   |  6 PagesFor this paper, I am going to be using The Fundamentals of Ethics by Russ Shafer-Landau and Psychological Egoism and Hobbes by Hun Chung in order to talk about and give more insight on psychological egoism and ethical egoism. There are many things to know and learn su ch as what these theories are and how they are different and alike as well as other components supporting each theory. Psychological Egoism states that human actions are based on self-interest, even if the action appears to be selflessRead MoreEthics of Welfare and Government Assistance Essay1502 Words   |  7 Pagessurely see it as an ethical act that genuinely helps those in need. This is true to an extent, but is it possible that welfare does more harm than good? Most would argue that the hand out of money to those less fortunate is being socially responsible. The question that drives this ethical issue is where does social responsibility end and personal responsibility pick up? This question is difficult to answer because every family in need is in a different situation. Government benefits are supposedRead MoreAct Utilitarian1168 Words   |  5 PagesSocial contract ethics is the â€Å"state of nature† that we are living in. According to Waller (2005) Thomas Hobbes describes social contract ethics â€Å"as life in the state of nature is â€Å"war of all against all† and in the state of nature life is â€Å"nasty, brutal and short† (p.64). We are didn’t have to sign a contract to be a part of this we are born into it. Life is not what we sign up for it is what we come to know and learn. Example of Social Contract Ethics Race is a social contract. No one signed anyRead MoreEgoism, Psychological And Ethical, And Altruism1141 Words   |  5 Pagesquestions bring to the surface the topics of egoism, psychological and ethical, and altruism. Egoism in general means that people think of their own advantage. They have high opinions of themselves and dote on themselves. Meaning they live and breathe off of self-praise. Most of the time this word has a negative connotation to it, and it is looked down upon (Flynn 459). Egoism falls into two categories: psychological and ethical. The term psychological egoism refers to the mindset that there is no suchRead MoreThe Theory Of Psychological Egoism And Ethical Egoism Essay1039 Words   |  5 PagesJames Rachels introduces in his written works, Egoism and Moral Skepticism, two different theories of human nature: psychological egoism and ethical egoism. The theory of psychological egoism refers to the view that all human actions are self-centered. On the other hand, the theory of ethical egoism is the idea that we are not obligated to do anything other than what is in our interest. Most individuals would consistently believe in ethical egoism because most generally care about the well-beingRead MoreConsequentialist and Non-consequentialist Theories1194 Words   |  5 Pagesbad. Under the consequentialist theory, we have Egoism and Utilitarianism. Egoism: is a theory of ethics that focuses on achieving goals that benefit or brings pleasure or greatest good to oneself. In other words it focuses on self-interest, however egoism is opposite to Altruism, which is not strictly based on self-interest, but also includes the interest of others. There are two kinds of Egoism; Ethical Egoism, Psychological Egoism. Ethical Egoism is a normative claim; it believes that individualsRead MoreEthical Dilemmas : What Should Jean Do? Essay1551 Words   |  7 Pagesresult, her sales performance was far behind her colleagues who used the â€Å"deal-closing techniques†. The situation is made more serious by her austere life pressure if Jean does not follow Wright’s hypocritical technology. This essay states a clear analysis of ethical dilemma that Jean is facing and two ethical theories: Kant’s ethics and ethical egoism. The scenario in the case will be well applied to both ethical theories. According to the case provided, it is easy to see an ethical dilemma was impliedRead MorePsychological and Ethical Egoists in the Film, Crimes and Misdemeanors863 Words   |  4 Pages What if you only thought about yourself every day? What if you made no attempts to help a friend of family member in need? What if you did what was best for you and only you? Would you be able to live with yourself? The views of a psychological egoist have clear answers to the previous questions. A psychological egoist believe in just those sorts of behaviors. While in contrasting view of an ethical egoist believe in what we ought to do. These views were both demonstrated in the film â€Å"CrimesRead MoreSelf Interest Vs. Selfishness949 Words   |  4 Pagesthem. Whether you value your life or value your morals or both, you will value one more than the other when it comes down to the last few seconds of your life when you are forced with a choice. As in to run and possibly die, or play hero and save the lives of your fellow friends. It all comes down to making the choice of life versus value. How I see it is if it s life then it is also value. Value is above life. Which means your values can mean that losing your life is acceptable if you value hate