Egoism and Moral Skepticism

James Rachels

From last class….

• The Golden Rule, only acting toward others as you would want them acting toward you, is the basis for a kind of morality.• It is the basis of a human-specific morality.

….to this class

• Egoism is the basis of a form of ‘moral skepticism,’ the idea that there is no objective/intersubjective good. • There is no basis for egoism given that we all act altruistically on

occasion, BUT there is also no basis for arguing against egoism.

Context: Evolution and Selfishness

Progressive Complexity, Ancient Earth, Natural Selection--------------------------- SelfishnessDescent with Random Modification, Ancestors in Common

IF EVOLUTION IS TRUE, THEN THE PRODUCTS OF EVOLUTION MUST BE SELFISH.

Glaucon on Justice: Gyges’ Ring

1) If given the power to act unjustly without punishment, all men will act unjustly.

2) So, justice is motivated only by lack of such power.3) Thus, all men will act unjustly up to the point of their power to

avoid being punished.

Glaucon-Might Makes Right1) Whatever is the greatest benefit is the greatest good.2) Power allows for unjust actions to go unpunished.3) The greatest benefit is for one to act unjustly without

punishment.4) So, power is the greatest good.

Agentive Power

We all act to the ends of the power that we possess.

Objection: The Urge to Help Others

1) We all feel a tug to help others besides ourselves even if it brings no benefit to ourselves.

2) Egoism claims that I only act for MY benefit.3) Thus, Egoism is false.

Response: Helping others is voluntary1) One can be an egoist and help others if they desire to do so. After

all, an egoist is one who satisfies his own desires.

2) Thus, egoism is consistent with cases of helping others.

E.G. Even Sméagol helps the hobbitses while under the spell of egoism (i.e. the ring).

Rebuttal: Egoism IS selfish desire

A true Egoist will ONLY act on selfish desires. Hence IT MUST BE THE CASE that voluntarily helping another person entails that the egoist receives some benefit.

E.G. BAD Sméagol only helps the hobbitses as a means to stay close and perhaps eventually steal the ring back.

Response: Egoists can feel good about helping.Given certain cognitive mechanisms of sympathy, when I voluntarily help out another person, my brain releases the same level of dopamine that it would release were I to be helping myself (mirror neurons).

Hence, every time I help another, I am also helping myself NO MATTER WHAT.

Can you think of a case where you helping another has ACTUALLY left you in a worse way?

Objection: Egoists should not derive pleasure from helping othersTo be an egoist is just to act so as to benefit oneself. one can only derive pleasure from helping someone they care and have concern about. An egoist should ONLY have care and concern for themselves.

If an egoist derives pleasure from benefiting another person (or pig), then they are not an egoist!

SIDEBAR: EVOLUTION AND ALTRUISME.O. Wilson claims that evolution selects for altruistic behavior, even amongst non-reflective mammals like Turkeys.

So, perhaps there is a biological basis for altruistic behavior.

See E.O. Wilson and “Sociobiology”

Egoism Vs. Altruism: Three Distinctions• Selfishness is not Self-Interest.

• I go to the dentist out of self-interest, but going to the dentist is not selfish.

• Not all actions are motivated by self-interest OR altruism.• One may smoke even though it is neither for good themselves or others.

• Altruism does not entail an act that involves self-interest.• In pulling out of a parking spot on a busy day to get lunch, you are helping another person

even though no help or harm is done to yourself.

Limits of Egoism: NO UNIVERSAL EGOISM!The self-reflective egoist realizes that if everyone were an egoist, their self-interests would be harmed. Hence, one can only REALLY be an egoist in a land of altruists.

e.g. Anti-immunization: The overwhelming majority of citizens need to be immunized in order for the small minority to avoid it.

SO, IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE AN EGOIST, JUST NOT A CONSISTENT ONE.

Overall Problem: Egoism Moral Skepticism1) Egoism claims that one should act to benefit themselves.2) Morality claims that everyone should act to benefit others.3) Egoism is a plausible, though unpalatable, position.4) So, Egoists need not be Moral.5) Hence, Morality is false.

Objections?? (HELP!!!)