Is Moral Egoism Correct Essay, Research Paper

“Is Moral Egoism Correct?” Moral Egoism states that “one never does wrong if one does what’s in one’s own self-interest; it’s always morally acceptable to just look out for number one” (Barcalow, 295). I feel that I should do what is in my own self-interest for the most part, but not for everything, thus making moral egoism incorrect. When many people take a look at the definition of moral egoism, they may first think it is correct. People say, “of course I am going to do something if it benefits me.” That, of course, is true. People should not smoke or do drugs because it is in their best interest not to. They also know they should wear their seatbelts, not drink bleach and never walk alone late at night. Many know that it is in one’s best interest to exercise, eat healthy, and to be educated. So what’s the problem with moral egoism? These things are all true, so how can moral egoism be false? Even though on the outside moral egoism appears to be true, when we look deeper we can see that it is not. Moral Egoism states that it is correct for us to do what is in our own best interest, which appears to be true from my previous arguments. When we look deeper though, we soon discover that although most of the time it is correct for us to do what is in our own best interest, sometimes it is not. For example, say I am poor and I am living in an alleyway in New York City. I have no money, no job, and nothing to eat. One day, a nicely dressed businessman comes up to me and offers to give me food, shelter and everything I ever wanted, but there was something I would have to do in turn. I would have to go to the local middle school and to the local high school and push cocaine to the students. Although it is in my best interest to have food, shelter and whatever else I ever wanted, it is not morally correct to push drugs to children. Therefore, Moral Egoism is false because it states that anything I do in my best interest is correct, although this obviously is not correct. Another aspect of Moral Egoism states that it is in one’s self interest to get pleasure. This is obviously true. It is in fact in my best interest to be happy, and to do whatever I can do to be happy. If taking walks or riding my bike makes me happy, then I should do it. If going to amusement parks, hiking or fishing makes me happy, then it is in fact in my best interest to do it. But what if I like to rape people, or what if I like to murder people. Doing both of those things cause me to be pleasurous. So are these things right? Of course not, we say to ourselves. These things are definitely not moral and should not be done to others. All sane people know this to be true. According to Moral Egoism, though, it is in one’s own best interest to have pleasure; since rape and murder gives me pleasure, it is okay to do it. This is certainly false. Even if raping and murdering people gives me pleasure, it is not morally correct. Therefore, Moral Egoism is false. Moral Egoism also states that you have no duties to me, and I have no duties to you. This means that we all should walk around doing what is in our self-interest no matter who it bothers or hurts. An example of this would be if I were dating a man who had a wife. Although the relationship would give me pleasure, it would also be hurting someone else in the meantime. According to Moral Egoism this is okay because I am satisfied, even though we know that it is not okay. Another example of this would be sleeping with someone to get a job. Say I was applying for a job and I did not have good credentials, and someone else was also applying for the same job and she was above and beyond what the company was looking for. I then slept with the boss to get the job. Getting the job is in fact in my best interest, but sleeping with the boss to get the job is not. According to Moral Egoism, since I have no duties to anyone else but myself, my actions in both examples are correct. This is clearly false, and we always have duties to others. Although Moral Egoism claims that we do not have duties to anyone but ourselves, we actually do. If we did not there would not be any organizations to help people. Some of these organizations are soup kitchens, the Salvation Army, volunteer firefighters, and police officers. All of these organizations are run by either volunteers or by people who want to help others. It is human nature to want to help people in need. If no one helped others, we would have a rapidly deteriorating society. Without soup kitchens and the Salvation Army we would have many people going hungry and clothesless. If we did not have firefighters, the entire United States would be burnt to the ground. Without police officers our world would be full of riots and violence. By these examples given, it is evident that we do in fact have duties to others. Without helping those around us we would have no society. This shows, again, that Moral Egoism is in fact false. “If Moral Egoism is true, no one has a duty not to harm other people and no one has a duty to help other people, however great the need and small the cost” (Barcalow, 297″). Also if Moral Egoism is true, people can do what ever is in their best interest no matter what it is. These statements are obviously not true. I feel that the statements defining Moral Egoism are both incorrect and preposterous. To me, Moral Egoism is obviously false. Our society would fail to exist as we know it today if Moral Egoism were in fact true.

“Is Moral Egoism Correct?” Moral Egoism states that “one never does wrong if one does what’s in one’s own self-interest; it’s always morally acceptable to just look out for number one” (Barcalow, 295). I feel that I should do what is in my own self-interest for the most part, but not for everything, thus making moral egoism incorrect. When many people take a look at the definition of moral egoism, they may first think it is correct. People say, “of course I am going to do something if it benefits me.” That, of course, is true. People should not smoke or do drugs because it is in their best interest not to. They also know they should wear their seatbelts, not drink bleach and never walk alone late at night. Many know that it is in one’s best interest to exercise, eat healthy, and to be educated. So what’s the problem with moral egoism? These things are all true, so how can moral egoism be false? Even though on the outside moral egoism appears to be true, when we look deeper we can see that it is not. Moral Egoism states that it is correct for us to do what is in our own best interest, which appears to be true from my previous arguments. When we look deeper though, we soon discover that although most of the time it is correct for us to do what is in our own best interest, sometimes it is not. For example, say I am poor and I am living in an alleyway in New York City. I have no money, no job, and nothing to eat. One day, a nicely dressed businessman comes up to me and offers to give me food, shelter and everything I ever wanted, but there was something I would have to do in turn. I would have to go to the local middle school and to the local high school and push cocaine to the students. Although it is in my best interest to have food, shelter and whatever else I ever wanted, it is not morally correct to push drugs to children. Therefore, Moral Egoism is false because it states that anything I do in my best interest is correct, although this obviously is not correct. Another aspect of Moral Egoism states that it is in one’s self interest to get pleasure. This is obviously true. It is in fact in my best interest to be happy, and to do whatever I can do to be happy. If taking walks or riding my bike makes me happy, then I should do it. If going to amusement parks, hiking or fishing makes me happy, then it is in fact in my best interest to do it. But what if I like to rape people, or what if I like to murder people. Doing both of those things cause me to be pleasurous. So are these things right? Of course not, we say to ourselves. These things are definitely not moral and should not be done to others. All sane people know this to be true. According to Moral Egoism, though, it is in one’s own best interest to have pleasure; since rape and murder gives me pleasure, it is okay to do it. This is certainly false. Even if raping and murdering people gives me pleasure, it is not morally correct. Therefore, Moral Egoism is false. Moral Egoism also states that you have no duties to me, and I have no duties to you. This means that we all should walk around doing what is in our self-interest no matter who it bothers or hurts. An example of this would be if I were dating a man who had a wife. Although the relationship would give me pleasure, it would also be hurting someone else in the meantime. According to Moral Egoism this is okay because I am satisfied, even though we know that it is not okay. Another example of this would be sleeping with someone to get a job. Say I was applying for a job and I did not have good credentials, and someone else was also applying for the same job and she was above and beyond what the company was looking for. I then slept with the boss to get the job. Getting the job is in fact in my best interest, but sleeping with the boss to get the job is not. According to Moral Egoism, since I have no duties to anyone else but myself, my actions in both examples are correct. This is clearly false, and we always have duties to others. Although Moral Egoism claims that we do not have duties to anyone but ourselves, we actually do. If we did not there would not be any organizations to help people. Some of these organizations are soup kitchens, the Salvation Army, volunteer firefighters, and police officers. All of these organizations are run by either volunteers or by people who want to help others. It is human nature to want to help people in need. If no one helped others, we would have a rapidly deteriorating society. Without soup kitchens and the Salvation Army we would have many people going hungry and clothesless. If we did not have firefighters, the entire United States would be burnt to the ground. Without police officers our world would be full of riots and violence. By these examples given, it is evident that we do in fact have duties to others. Without helping those around us we would have no society. This shows, again, that Moral Egoism is in fact false. “If Moral Egoism is true, no one has a duty not to harm other people and no one has a duty to help other people, however great the need and small the cost” (Barcalow, 297″). Also if Moral Egoism is true, people can do what ever is in their best interest no matter what it is. These statements are obviously not true. I feel that the statements defining Moral Egoism are both incorrect and preposterous. To me, Moral Egoism is obviously false. Our society would fail to exist as we know it today if Moral Egoism were in fact true.