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PHIL 2525
Contemporary Moral Issues
Lec 9
Is Me-First all right?
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
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Egotist: thinking that you’re the best thing
since sliced bread
“The achievement of
his own happiness is
man’s highest moral
purpose.” Ayn Rand
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"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
790 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
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Ethical approaches are
prescriptive
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Egoism: All acts are
basically selfish
Altruism: Some of our
acts are ‘naturally’
altruistic

Egoism: You ought to
be selfish
Altruism: You ought to
be altruistic
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Is altruism possible?

How often do you do things
you don’t want to do?
Altruism
The Simpsons:
Ayn Rand
essence of my philosophy
(while standing on one foot)…
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1. Metaphysics:
2. Epistemology:
3. Ethics:
4. Politics:
Objective Reality
Reason
Self-interest
Capitalism

“The achievement of
his own happiness is
man’s highest moral
purpose.”
Ayn Rand

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?

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...

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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.
Garrett Hardin: Lifeboat Ethics
Freedom in a commons
brings ruin to all.
Possible solutions:
 Privatization: divide it up and everyone manages
their part.
 Socialism: appoint someone and give them the
power to manage the whole thing.
U of T Halloween
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Thought crime?
Insensitivity?
Exploitation?
U of T Halloween
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Thought crime?
Insensitivity?
Exploitation?
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1900
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U of T Halloween
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Thought crime?
Insensitivity?
Exploitation?
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1900 and 1910
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What is your answer to Lucy’s question?
Next week:
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On to the Social Contract....what do we owe
each other and why? Where does society come
from?
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Sample questions for the midterm test
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Essay questions for the midterm test