Pros And Cons Of Ethical Egoism - 1299 Words

Introduction Over the course of three weeks, we have examined ethical models from various cultures and eras, namely Ethical Egoism, Confucianism, Plato’s Crito and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. While all of these models represent the ideal principles of conduct as conceived by four great minds, each has its own fair share of merits and flaws. Ethical Egoism Ethical Egoism bases its arguments on the assumption that every person’s own life is of supreme importance to him or her (Rachels, 78) As Ayn Rand puts it, â€Å"The achievement of his own happiness is man’s highest moral purpose†(Rachels, 68). Ethical Egoism condemns altruism and regards itself as the only ethical model that truly values an†¦show more content†¦Paul Woodruff echoes this idea of mutual civility among a community in his discussion of Reverence, â€Å"Wherever people try to act together, they hedge themselves around with some form of ceremony or good manners, and the observance of this can be an act of reverence (Woodruff, 5)† Filiality does come with its problems though. â€Å"Meng Yizi asked about filiality. The Master said, ‘Never disobey’ (Analects, II 2.5)†. â€Å"Never† is clearly too extreme of a word for this policy to work in all scenarios. Parents don’t always know what’s in their c hildren’s best interests, and blindly obeying them can result in a subservient and reliant person. Humility is addressed at great length in the Analects as well, especially in academics. â€Å"To remain unsoured when his talents are unrecognized, is this not a junzi?(Analects, I 1.1)† and â€Å"The Master said: Do not be concerned that no one recognizes your merits. Be concerned that you may not recognize others(Analects, I 1.16)† According to Confucius, a true junzi does not concern himself with fame and recognition, he stays humble no matter how underappreciated he is. This seems reasonable coming from an era when one too many people overestimate their abilities and assumes the right toShow MoreRelatedPros And Cons Of Ethical Egoism794 Words   |  4 Pages The Pros and Cons of Ethical Egoism With reference to the ‘The Ring of Gyges,’ Glahoun, Plato’s brother argues in favor of selfishness and unjust lives. The ring of Gyges suggests that people avoid being selfish because of potential punishment, but that is a low form of life. I believe when one comes at peace with oneself and decide to do the right thing; one will not only save the human race, but will live a fulfilled life too. Egoism suggests that the ethical principle to follow is one whichRead MoreSale of Sand to the Saudis Essay727 Words   |  3 Pagesis hired for the job. Joe is now faced with an ethical dilemma -- accepting her offer to save his job and home, or refuse it and hire someone more suited for the vacant sales position. Joe’s decision making dilemma can take the route of ethical egoism or virtue ethics. Ethical egoism claims that it is necessary and sufficient for an action to be morally right to maximize ones self-interest (Shaver, 2010). If Joe decides to choose ethical egoism he will considered his problems to be solved becauseRead MoreAnalysis Of Jean Mcguire s Closing The Deal Essay1475 Words   |  6 PagesEthics and morals are very important in today’s world, as these factors play a huge part in decisions made everyday. 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