Ethical Inquiry Discussion Project: Applying Egoism

Try to agree on answers to the following questions as they apply to your case:

Part I: Applying Ethical Egoism

1. What various actions might the person take in this situation? I.e., what are their options?
2. What positive and negative consequences might each of these actions have for that person? (Consider whether there might be some indirect or long-range consequences to include here. Example: it is often said that, in many situations, while a lie is beneficial to the liar in the short run, in the long run a liar will lose the trust and cooperation of others and thus be worse off.)
3. All things considered, what would an ethical egoist recommend doing in this situation? What action would best serve the person's long-run, 'enlightened' self interest? (Note: “enlightened” does not mean unselfish or altruistic. It just means that the person is smart about how they pursue their self-interest.)

Part II: Evaluating Ethical Egoism

1. One way that an ethical theory can be defective is that it can produce the wrong result. In your case, did ethical egoism lead to an ‘answer’ that seemed correct to you? (I.e., did the action that best served the interests of the agent seem to you to be the ethically right action?)
2. Another way that an ethical theory can go wrong is that it can get the ‘right answer’ for the wrong reasons. Are there important ethical considerations that are being ignored when you consider your case from a strictly egoistic point of view? (E.g., other people’s rights, harms or benefits to other people, obligations to other people) Stick to those that you think are genuinely present in your case.