About values and ethics

1. Egoism
is such a concept according to which
an action is moral if and only if it
promotes the self interest of the
person.
Egoism contends that an
action is morally right if and
only if it promotes an agent’s
long term interests.

2. If an action produces, will produce,
or is intended to produce for the
individual a greater good to evil in
the long run than any other
alternative, then the action is right
one to perform.
There are three major types
of egoism. Personal egoism,
impersonal egoism, and
psychological egoism.

3. Misconceptions about egoism.
1. Egoist only do what they
like, that they believe in, eat,
drink and be marry. Not so.

4. 2. All egoists endorse hedonism, the
view that only pleasure is of intrinsic
value.
But egoists are not only
hedonists but they search self
satisfaction and self interest
as well.

5. 3. Egoists cannot act honestly, be
gracious and helpful to others, or
otherwise promotes other’s
interests.
But egoism requires us to do
whatever will best further our
own interests, and doing this
sometimes requires us to
advance the interests of
others.

6. Problems with Egoism.
1. Psychological egoism is not
a sound theory. According to
it every person is selfish and
we can never think and act
for other’s benefits. But it is
not the case in fact. Take the
case of the truck drivers who
saves the life of child while
his own life was at stake. Or
that person who promised his
kids to take them to the zoo.

7. But at this point, psychological
egoists claim that behind both the
hero person and the covered there
of a motive of self interest
At this point the psychological
egoists claims is a little far
fetched and we may suspect
them of trying to make their
theory true by definition.
Whatever example we come
with, they will simply say that
there is self interest behind
this activity.

8. 2. Ethical egoism is not really a
moral theory at all.
In egoist society men cannot live
peacefully together because of the
clash of interests. Even if they agree
to fallow certain rules but still they
can violate the rules for their own
interests.

9. 3. Ethical egoism ignores blatant
wrongs. The biggest problem
with egoism is that while
promoting your long term
interests, acts like murder,
robbery, racial and sexual
discrimination seems right
actions to perform.