PHIL 2525 Lecture 9 Is me-first all right? PHIL 2525 Lecture 9 Is me-first all right?

Halloween at the Campbellford Legion... Thought crime? Thought crime? Racist? Racist? Insensitive? Insensitive? Clueless? Clueless? Harmless fun? Harmless fun?

Prince Harry Anti-Semitic? Anti-Semitic? Disgusting? Disgusting? Insensitive? Insensitive? Bad taste? Bad taste? Plain stupid? Plain stupid?

Difference between Egoist and Egotist Egoist: thinking that your purpose in life is to look out for yourself – there is no obligation to look out for any one else – in fact, it would be morally wrong Egotist: thinking that you’re the best thing since sliced bread

Pink Shirt Day Shepherd and Price bought 50 pink shirts and brought them to school in solidarity with another youth who was bullied for wearing a pink polo shirt... Shepherd and Price bought 50 pink shirts and brought them to school in solidarity with another youth who was bullied for wearing a pink polo shirt... The last Wednesday of February is Pink Shirt Day The last Wednesday of February is Pink Shirt Day

“The achievement of his own happiness is man’s highest moral purpose.” Ayn Rand

"What shall we do and how shall we live? According to Plato and Tolstoy and other reliable observers, this is our most important question! We should not trust any philosophy that makes this question appear foolish." [Peter Singer, The Player and the Cards: Nihilism and Legal Theory, 94 Yale L. J. 1, 3 (1984)]

More than 27,000 children die every day from preventable causes

964 dead children for every one of us in this classroom…every day

Matthew 25:40 "I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink... truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it unto me." Artist: Kathe Kollwitz

Egoism versus Altruism Psychological approaches are descriptive Psychological approaches are descriptive Egoism: All acts are basically selfish Egoism: All acts are basically selfish Altruism: Some of our acts are ‘naturally’ altruistic Altruism: Some of our acts are ‘naturally’ altruistic Ethical approaches are prescriptive Egoism: You ought to be selfish Altruism: You ought to be altruistic

Is altruism possible?

We always do what we most want to do….p.65 We always do what we most want to do….p.65 But do we? But do we?

We always do what makes us feel good...p. 66 Rachels answer: The strategy of re- interpreting motives The strategy of re- interpreting motives

We always do what makes us feel good...p. 66 Sometimes there’s more than one motive...

Altruism

An aside... If every action is, indeed, selfish, what can unselfish mean? If every action is, indeed, selfish, what can unselfish mean? And if unselfish doesn’t mean anything, what can selfish mean? And if unselfish doesn’t mean anything, what can selfish mean? Why do we have those words? Why do we have those words?

Ethical Egoism Me first? Me only? Looking out for yourself doesn’t mean not helping others... Looking out for yourself doesn’t mean not helping others... Looking out for yourself doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want no matter what... Looking out for yourself doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want no matter what...

5.3: Arguments for Ethical Egoism Altruism is self-defeating Altruism is self-defeating Ayn Rand’s argument Ayn Rand’s argument Ethical Egoism as compatible with commonsense morality Ethical Egoism as compatible with commonsense morality

5.4: Arguments against Ethical Egoism It endorses wicked actions when they promote self-interest It endorses wicked actions when they promote self-interest It cannot handle conflicts of interest It cannot handle conflicts of interest It’s logically inconsistent It’s logically inconsistent It is unacceptably arbitrary It is unacceptably arbitrary

Ayn Rand essence of my philosophy (while standing on one foot)… 1. Metaphysics: Objective Reality 1. Metaphysics: Objective Reality 2. Epistemology: Reason 2. Epistemology: Reason 3. Ethics: Self-interest 3. Ethics: Self-interest 4. Politics: Capitalism 4. Politics: Capitalism

“The achievement of his own happiness is man’s highest moral purpose.” “The achievement of his own happiness is man’s highest moral purpose.” Ayn Rand =7ukJiBZ8_4k&feature=related =7ukJiBZ8_4k&feature=related =pMTDaVpBPR0&feature=related =pMTDaVpBPR0&feature=related

Ayn Rand, born in Russia, was interviewed in the March 1964 issue Ayn Rand, born in Russia, was interviewed in the March 1964 issue

From the Playboy interview... PLAYBOY: As one who champions the cause of enlightened self-interest, how do you feel about dedicating one's life to hedonistic self-gratification? PLAYBOY: As one who champions the cause of enlightened self-interest, how do you feel about dedicating one's life to hedonistic self-gratification? RAND: I am profoundly opposed to the philosophy of hedonism. Hedonism is the doctrine which holds that the good is whatever gives you pleasure and, therefore, pleasure is the standard of morality. Objectivism holds that the good must be defined by a rational standard of value, that pleasure is not a first cause, but only a consequence, that only the pleasure which proceeds from a rational value judgment can be regarded as moral... RAND: I am profoundly opposed to the philosophy of hedonism. Hedonism is the doctrine which holds that the good is whatever gives you pleasure and, therefore, pleasure is the standard of morality. Objectivism holds that the good must be defined by a rational standard of value, that pleasure is not a first cause, but only a consequence, that only the pleasure which proceeds from a rational value judgment can be regarded as moral...

From the Playboy interview... PLAYBOY: Would it be against the principles of Objectivism for anyone to sacrifice himself by stepping in front of a bullet to protect another person? PLAYBOY: Would it be against the principles of Objectivism for anyone to sacrifice himself by stepping in front of a bullet to protect another person? RAND: No. It depends on the circumstances. I would step in the way of a bullet if it were aimed at my husband. It is not self-sacrifice to die protecting that which you value: If the value is great enough, you do not care to exist without it. This applies to any alleged sacrifice for those one loves. RAND: No. It depends on the circumstances. I would step in the way of a bullet if it were aimed at my husband. It is not self-sacrifice to die protecting that which you value: If the value is great enough, you do not care to exist without it. This applies to any alleged sacrifice for those one loves.

Garrett Hardin: Lifeboat Ethics Freedom in a commons brings ruin to all. Possible solutions: Privatization: divide it up and everyone manages their part. Privatization: divide it up and everyone manages their part. Socialism: appoint someone and give them the power to manage the whole thing. Socialism: appoint someone and give them the power to manage the whole thing.

What is your answer to Lucy’s question?

Next week: On to the Social Contract....what do we owe each other and why? Where does society come from? On to the Social Contract....what do we owe each other and why? Where does society come from? Sample questions for the midterm test Sample questions for the midterm test Short essay questions for the midterm test Short essay questions for the midterm test