The Moral Philosophy Of Ethical Egoism - 2536 Words

Timothy Walter PHI101 – 5:45PM Research Paper The Moral Philosophy of Ethical Egoism â€Å"Let him be the best of men, and let him be thought the worst; then he will have been put to the proof; and we shall see whether he will be affected by the fear of infamy and its consequences. And let him continue thus to the hour of death; being just and seeming to be unjust. When both have reached the uttermost extreme, the one of justice and the other of injustice, let judgment be given which is the happier of the two.† – Glaucon, from The Republic (Pojman, Vaughn, 464). Every day there are children dying of starvation in poor countries all over the world. In more prosperous countries people are afforded luxuries such as lavish cars and weekly movies at the cinema. If asked, these people will tell you that we do, in fact, have a moral obligation to help the children if we are in a position to do so. So why, do we choose to buy the luxury car? Why do we spend enough to feed a small village on one trip to the cinema with family? It is because deep inside we know that our primary concern is our own self-interest; the pursuit of happiness. Ethical egoism at first glance seems counter-intuitive, however, upon deeper inspection we see that ethical egoism is the moral philosophy that should be adopted if we wish to obtain the goal of happiness. Ethical egoism is â€Å"the ethical view that one ought to do whatever and only whatever is in one’s own maximum interest, benefit, advantage, orShow MoreRelatedPsychological vs Ethical Egoism Essay116 7 Words   |  5 PagesPsychological Egoism and Ethical Egoism: A Comparison Abstract There is a certain innate desire to help others, just as others will feel that same fulfillment for returning that aid. At the same time, however, there is also an inherent yearning to seek out one’s own best interest. 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