Psychological egoism concerns how people actually act: this needs to be more precise.

Are we concerned with: Is (PE) the idea that people only intend to promote their own interests? o Not if intended means conscious intent people can have self-deceptive intentions, for example, or be unaware of their own motivations. o It is manifestly the case that many people do no always consciously think that they are acting for they own self interests. Interestingly, people might even consciously think theyre being selfish, even if another person could reasonably. Is (PE) the isead that people only in fact promoting their interests? o No people make mistakes all the time. EX People buy lottery tickets. Is (PE) the idea that people are only motivated to promote their own interests.

Depends on what Motive Means Is a motive an internal cause? If its only that, it wont account be a good psychological account of egoism. Reasons can be unconscious, and people can be deceived about their own reasons. But people are generally aware of their own reasons.

Psychological Altruism (PA) denies psychological egoism (PA) is the idea that people can act from reasons that take the interests of other as more important that their own.

Arguments that think Psychological Egoism is true First arguments: 1) When we act, we act on our own reasons (they are part of our psychology) 2) Therefore, S acts for self interested reasons Problem: Self interests refers to the content of the reason not to whose reason it is Second argument: 1) When we act, we do so for our own reasons 2) All of our reasons for action are based on our own desires 3) Therefore, when we act, we do so in order to satisgy our own desires Problems:

The conclusion doesnt establish (PE); our desiers may concern other when we act on our desires, we dont always do so in order to satisfy them. Third arguments (evolutionary) 1) When we act, we do so for our own reasons 2) Evolution selects against our having any reasons other than self-interested ones 3) Therefore, when we act, we do so based on self-interested reasons Objections (2) is an empirical claim that is open to challenge on (a) grounds of natural science, and )b) grounds of our manifest understanding of ourselves.

Social Darwinism -> survival of the (economically) fittest rationalism for capitalism

Seminar work:
Moral significance of moral selfishness. Is there a good deed you can do without feeling good about it.