1. Ethics and Egoism
Ethical egoism —The theory that the morally right action is the one that produces the most favorable balance of good over evil for oneself.
Psychological egoism —The view that the motive for all our actions is self-interest.
Ethical egoism is not synonymous with selfishness or self-indulgence.

2. Ethics and Egoism The Ring of Gyges —Plato
Glaucon’s story is meant to show that all people believe in their hearts that injustice is more profitable than justice.
Glaucon argues that the unjust life is better than the just life.
Socrates says that we should choose the life of the “unsuccessful” just person because it is to our advantage to be moral.

3. Gyges’ Ring
A lowly shepherd finds a ring which gives him the power of invisibility

4. Gyges’ Ring
Gyges uses the ring to seduce the Queen and usurp the Kingdom
Grave-robbing
Adultery
Assassination

6. Gyges’ Ring Justice requires restraint, sacrifice of self-interest
People only act justly because they fear punishment (personal, social, legal)
Punishment depends on detection
Gods can be bought off with sacrifice

7. The completely rational man will seek to be unjust where possible, just when necessary
Injustice is always better...if you can get away with it!
Justice is only instrumentally good in some cases
High chance of being caught
Severe consequences

8. The Ring of Gyges
Suppose you had a ring that would make you invisible (allowing you commit injustice without being discovered).
If such a ring were available how would a just person’s actions differ from an unjust person?
(1) If there would be no difference, that shows we only think of justice as good as a means.
(2) If the just person remains just even though he can get away with being unjust, then that shows that people consider justice to be good.

9. Glaucon: Justice is good as a means of avoiding suffering injustice
Glaucon: Justice is good as a means of avoiding suffering injustice. We agree to abide by the rules of morality so that other people don’t harm us, not because its bad to do harm (injustice) to other people

10. Glaucon’s Challenge Plato’s Response
Glaucon’s Challenge: Prove justice is better than injustice
Plato says injustice
subordinates reason to desire, dehumanizes
is the sign of an unbalanced or diseased mind

11. Glaucon’s Challenge Plato’s Response
Plato says injustice
makes us a slave to our desires
robs us of freedom
Free choices are made through rational deliberation, not compelled by desire

12. If the Ring of Gyges example is persuasive, it tells us that we think of morality in terms of external rewards.
It does not tell us however that justice really is only good for its rewards.
People could be simply mistaken: they might think justice is only good for its consequences, while really its good for its consequences and for its own sake.