1. Ethical Egoism

2. Egoism
Two Kinds
Psychological
We always do act in our own interest

3. Egoism Two Kinds Psychological Ethical
We always do act in our own interest
Ethical
We always ought to act in our own interest

4. Psychological Egoism Hobbes
No man giveth but with intention of good to himself; because gift is voluntary; and of all voluntary acts the object to every man is his own pleasure

5. Psychological Egoism Problems The Existence of Altruism
It’s obvious that altruistic actions/motivations occur

6. Psychological Egoism
Problems
The Existence of Altruism
Mother Theresa

7. Psychological Egoism Problems The Existence of Altruism Mother Theresa
Is she just doing it to get to Heaven?

8. Psychological Egoism Problems The Existence of Altruism
The good soldier

9. Psychological Egoism Problems The Existence of Altruism
The good soldier
Because it’s bad to feel guilty?

10. Psychological Egoism Problems Supposing Hidden Motives
There must be effective selfish motivations that we aren’t aware of

11. Psychological Egoism Problems Supposing Hidden Motives
There must be effective selfish motivations that we aren’t aware of
Makes this an unfalsifiable hypothesis, and therefore vacuous

12. Ethical Egoism Personal Ethical Egoism
I ought to act in my own interest.

13. Ethical Egoism Personal Ethical Egoism Individual Ethical Egoism
I ought to act in my own interest.
Individual Ethical Egoism
Everyone ought to act in my own interest.

14. Ethical Egoism Personal Ethical Egoism Individual Ethical Egoism
I ought to act in my own interest.
Individual Ethical Egoism
Everyone ought to act in my own interest.
Universal Ethical Egoism
Everyone ought to act in their own interest.

15. Ethical Egoism Personal Ethical Egoism Individual Ethical Egoism
I ought to act in my own interest.
Individual Ethical Egoism
Everyone ought to act in my own interest.
Universal Ethical Egoism
Everyone ought to act in their own interest.

16. Ethical Egoism
Arguments for it

17. Ethical Egoism Arguments for it
It’s the default guide to behaviour – altruists should be made to defend their position

18. Ethical Egoism Arguments for it
It’s the default guide to behaviour – altruists should be made to defend their position
Putting others’ interests first is degrading to one’s own dignity. Altruism is a Slave Morality (Nietzsche.)

19. Ethical Egoism Arguments for it
It’s the default guide to behaviour – altruists should be made to defend their position
Putting others’ interests first is degrading to one’s own dignity. Altruism is a Slave Morality (Nietzsche)
Things turn out better if people are made responsible for what they know best – themselves; not what they know least – others

20. Ethical Egoism
Arguments against it

21. Ethical Egoism Arguments against it
It gives prescriptions that we intuitively disagree with

22. Ethical Egoism Arguments against it
It gives prescriptions that we intuitively disagree with
It fails to satisfy the necessary criteria to be a moral theory at all
It’s not universalizable – it leads inevitably to unresolvable conflicts