Others argue against Ethical Egoism. The work of Pecorino states as an argument against Ethical Egoism the facts as follows: Ethical Egoism "provides no moral basis for solving conflicts between people; (2) Ethical Egoism "obligates each person to prevent others from doing the right thing; (3) Has the same logical basis as racism"; (4) "The egoist cannot advise others to be egoists because it works against the first egoists interest"; and (5) "No one person can expect the entire world's population to act in such a way as to produce the most benefit (pleasure) for that one person." (2000)
IV. Contrast of Doctrines of Motivation
Ethical Egoism is driven from a different motivation that is Psychological Egoism in that Ethical Egoism holds a view that one should do what is ethical and what is in his own best interest simultaneously if possible while Psychological Egoism holds that self-interest is above all important above any ethical considerations to other human beings.
V. Discussion on Difference between Selfishness & Self-Interest
Many times has one heard of the individual who spent years living frugally, in denial of luxuries or pleasures in order to achieve or attain a larger or more noble goal that surpassed all momentary pleasures and desires that the individual might experience feeling a desire for. Selfishness, demands that one's desires are met above all other considerations whether...
Self-interest has the constitution to deny oneself fleeting or unfruitful pleasures in order to gain a stronger hold on some higher gain that one would receive after having persevered for some allotted amount of time. Selfishness is a vain and childish demand while self-interest seeks the greatest good overall for self.
Conclusion
Psychological Egoism is a hard-line view of egoism that leaves little room for the human beings many dimensions of motivation and of altruism and even of self-interest. Psychological Egoism attempts to fit each individual into the same mold dismissing the different quirks and sensibilities that array the vast range of individual human beings and the many represented views held by this unique race of great diversity represented in terms of ethics and of self-interest motivations.
Bibliography
Hobbes, T. (1968) Leviathan, edited with an introduction by C.P. Macpherson, (Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1968) Chapter 6, "Good," p.120.
Baier, Kurt. 1991 "Egoism" in a Companion to Ethics. (ed. P. Singer) Oxford: Blackwell, 197-204.
Pecorino, Phillip a. (2000) Chapter 8: Ethics Teleological Theories Sunysuffolk Edu. Accessed 3 Mar 2007. Online available at http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/pecorip/SCCCWEB/ETEXTS/INTRO_TEXT/hapter%208%20Ethics/Teleological_Theories.htm.
Ethical Egoism & Psychological Egoism
