Egoism, Psychological And Ethical, And Altruism - 1141 Words

From the moment you are born, you are being influenced. Influenced on what to wear, how to do your hair, how to speak, whom to associate with, etc. All of these criteria make up who you are. These influences determine how you think and what you believe. With all these influences in our daily lives we inevitably do actions throughout the day, and our actions have consequences. Some consequences are good and some are bad, but based on our actions are there ulterior motives involved? Do we do things to solely benefit ourselves or do we sometimes do things to help out others and the greater good of mankind? These questions bring to the surface the topics of egoism, psychological and ethical, and altruism. Egoism in general means that people think of their own advantage. They have high opinions of themselves and dote on themselves. Meaning they live and breathe off of self-praise. Most of the time this word has a negative connotation to it, and it is looked down upon (Flynn 459). Egoism f alls into two categories: psychological and ethical. The term psychological egoism refers to the mindset that there is no such thing as a self-less act. For example, if someone does a good deed, they have a hidden motive behind their deed. Whether they want attention, praise, or accolades from performing the deed, they did not do it just to help someone out (Rosenstand 164). As human beings our nature is to be selfish, and there is no way around it. We are innately selfish, always have andShow MoreRelatedAltruism And Egoism : A Moral Code Of Conduct1417 Words   |  6 PagesIn psychology, altruism and egoism are two contrasting views on morality, one holding that one should value principles/actions that benefit others over oneself, the other holding that not only are we innately selfish species, but that selfishness is how one ought to act. While both theories of morality are prevalent throughout history and cultures around the world, I will be examining the two sides of egoism: ph ysiological and ethical, and how these can be connected to altruism. These theories areRead MoreEthical Egoism Reflection Paper1739 Words   |  7 Pagesselflessness, psychological egoism, ethical egoism, and altruism all somehow relate towards beneficiating, but I believe that psychological egoism is the correct way to view selfishness for its positive symbiotic relationship between the person doing the action and the person receiving it. Of the three views to choose from – psychological egoism, ethical egoism, and altruism – I had the hardest time choosing between psychological egoism and ethical egoism. 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While egoism has been interpreted differently throughout history, the two variants of egoism conceived by Thomas Hobbes and Immanuel Kant are widely considered today to be theoretically bound and consistent. The egoism, described by Hobbes, conceives egoism as  a fully psychological motive that is within the minds of all human beings, who think only of theirRead MoreEthics Essay772 Words   |  4 Pages5. We should adopt an attitude to tolerance. 8. What is the â€Å"Cultural Differences† argument for Cultural Relativism? Does Rachels think it is sound? he thinks it is unsound, 9. If Cultural Relativism is true, then some odd consequences for ethical theory follow. What are they? 10. Does Rachels hold that there are some moral rules that all societies have in common? 11. What are the three traditional divine attributes of monotheism? 12. What is the difference between â€Å"theism†, â€Å"atheism†