Moral Philosophy: Abraham Maslow on Human Needs

1. The University of Cambodia
PHL 105: Moral Philosophy
Lectured by:
Mut Somoeun (M.Ed)

2. BASIC NEEDS OF HUMAN
EGOISM
ALTRUISM

3. Abraham Maslow (American psychologist),1908-1970)
Basic Needs of Human Being

4. Maslow’s Assumptions
 Human nature is basically good, not evil
 Normal human development involves the
actualization of this inherent goodness

5. Self-Actualization
Esteem
Love
Safety
Physiological
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

6. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS
MOST NEEDS HAVE TO DO WITH SURVIVAL
PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY

7. Physiological Needs
The physical requirements for human survival
– help the human body function properly.
Air, water, temperature, and food are metabolic
requirements for survival in all animals.
Clothing and shelter provide necessary
protection from the elements.

8. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS
SAFETY NEEDS
ON THE WHOLE AN INDIVIDUAL CANNOT SATISFY
ANY LEVEL UNLESS NEEDS BELOW ARE SATISFIED

9. Safety and Security Needs
Personal security
Financial security
Health and well-being
Safety needs against accidents/illness and their
adverse impacts

10. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS
SAFETY NEEDS
LOVE, AFFECTION, AND
BELONGINGNESS NEEDS

11. They are the interpersonal and involves feelings
of belongingness.
Very strong in childhood and it can override the
need for safety as witnessed in children who cling
to abusive parents.
Emotionally significant relationships in general:
Friendships
Intimacy
Family
LOVE, AFFECTION, AND BELONGINGNESS NEEDS

12. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS
SAFETY NEEDS
LOVE, AFFECTION, AND
BELONGINGNESS NEEDS
ESTEEM NEEDS

13. Esteem Need
Esteem presents the typical human desire to be
accepted and valued by others.
Two esteem needs: "lower" and "higher”:
– The "lower" is the need for respect from others.
This may include: a need for status, recognition,
fame, prestige, and attention.
– The "higher" manifests itself as the need for self-
respect. This includes: need for strength,
competence, mastery, self-confidence,
independence, and freedom.

14. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
SELF-
ACTUALIZATION
NEED
FOR
MASLOW EMPHASIZES NEED FOR SELF
ACTUALIZATION IS
A HEALTHY INDIVIDUAL’S PRIME
MOTIVATION

15. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
SELF-
ACTUALIZATION
NEED
FOR
MASLOW EMPHASIZES NEED FOR SELF
ACTUALIZATION IS A HEALTHY INDIVIDUAL’S PRIME
MOTIVATION
SELF-ACTUALIZATION MEANS ACTUALIZING
ONE’S POTENTIAL BECOMING ALL ONE IS
CAPABLE OF BECOMING

16. Need for Self-Actualization
This refers to intellectual and spiritual domain.
Thinking, learning, decision making, values,
beliefs, fulfillment, helping others.
"What a man can be, he must be” – what a
person's full potential is and the realization of
that potential.

17. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS
SAFETY NEEDS
LOVE, AFFECTION, AND
BELONGINGNESS NEEDS
ESTEEM NEEDS
SELF-
ACTUALIZATION
NEED

19. Types of Egoism
Psychological egoism
Asserts that as a matter of fact we do always act
selfishly – people can only act in their self-interest.
We always do act in our own interest
Ethical egoism
We should always act selfishly
We (moral agents) always ought to act in our own
interest

20. What is Psychological Egoism?
• Human beings always act in pursuit of what they see as
their self-interest.
• Psychological egoism in purely descriptive –it says this
is what humans do, not that it’s what they should do.
• But it’s a very strong claim that people are always
being selfish, no matter what they do.

21. Psychological Egoism
 Psychological egoism is a
theory of human
psychology and asserts that
each person does in fact
pursue his or her own self-
interest alone.

23. What is Ethical Egoism?
 Ethical egoism is the radical idea that the principle of
self-interest accounts for all of one’s moral obligations.
 Sometimes one’s interests may happen to coincide with
the interests of others—in that by helping oneself, one
will coincidentally help others, too.
 The benefit to others is not what makes an action right,
however. An action is right only insofar as it is to one’s
own ‘advantage.’

25. Altruism
(Auguste Comte, French, 1798 –1857)
• Altruism or selflessness is the principle or practice of
concern for the welfare of others.
• It is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a core
aspect of various religious traditions and secular
worldviews.
• The concept of "others" toward whom concern should
be directed can vary among cultures and religions.

26. Is altruism possible?
 According to psychological egoism, altruism is an
illusion. In reality, we only care for ourselves.
 Though few of us have saved lives, acts of altruism
appear to be common.
 People do favors for one another.
 They give blood.
 They build homeless shelters.
 They volunteer in hospitals.
 They read to the blind.
 Etc.

27. Ayn Rand’s Argument
 Altruism, according to Rand, leads to a denial of
the value of the individual (and his projects and
goods).
o “If a man accepts the ethics of altruism, his
first concern is not how to live his life, but
how to sacrifice it.”

28. Ayn Rand’s Argument
 The argument is that since:
o each person has one life to live,
o altruism rejects the value of the individual,
o ethical egoism views the individual’s life as having
supreme value, then ethical egoism is the moral
philosophy we ought to accept.

29. Questions?