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James Rachels: Egoism and Moral Sceptism

This version was saved 15 years, 1 month ago View current version     Page history
Saved by Jerome E. Jose
on February 23, 2009 at 11:13:18 am
 

 

Jerome E. Jose                                                                                     Feb.06,2009 

BS-IS                                                                                                   Sir.Paul Pajo

Book: Contemporary Moral Problems  

            Library Reference: none

 

            Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0495553204/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1233910528&sr=1-1

 

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                What I expect to learn:

 

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                Integrative Questions:

 

  • Explain the legend of Gyges. What questions about morality are raised from the story?                                                                                                      It is about a fantasy story of a shepherd that has found a magic ring that could make you invisible. The question here is that can you take the responsibility if you are given with that kind of power. 

 

  • Distinguish between psychological and ethical egoism. 

       Psychological egoism means that people are acting based on their self interest. For example: if someone helped somebody, it is becasue of thepersonal interest that certain individual will get. Ethical Egoism is a normative view about men ought to act. Meaning it is in their self-ineterst whether to act upon on their actions.

 

  • Rachels discusses two arguments for psychological egoism> what are these arguments, and how does he reply to them? 

     There are 2 arguments that James Rachels mentioned: First is that “the agent is merely doing what he most wants to do”. Second is that  our actions are based on our self interests. For me, there  people who are selfish and who are unselfish. We're all unique on our own way and  it's just normal. We get satifaction based on our actions . I believe that not all people  do the same thing just to achieve self satisfaction. They do it because it their choice and not just to be "satisfied" because they believe that it is the right thing to do.

 

  • What three commonplace confusions does Rachels detect in the thesis of psychological egoism? 

      There are 3 confusions on the psychological egoism. First is about confusion of selfishness with self interest. You just think of yourself in times of trouble or when some people is in need. Seond is that every action is done either from self interest or from other regarding the motives. Third is that concern for one’s own welfare is incompatible with any genuine concern for the welfare of others.

 

  • State the argument for saying that ethical egoism is inconsistent. Why does Rachels accept the argument?

            The argument is: “To say that any action or policy of action is right (or that it ought to be adopted) entails that it is right for anyone in the same sort of circumstances.”  According to Rachels she think that this argument would be unwarranted; for he think that we can show, contrary to this argument, how ethical egoism can be maintained consistently.

 

  • According to Rachels, why shouldn’t we hurt others, and why we should help others? How can egoist reply? 

              The reason that we should help others and not hurt them is that welfare of human beings is something that most of us value for is own sake, and not merely for the sake of something else; We should take into considerations on our community for it all concerns us. We are part of our community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

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