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Ethical Egoism

BARAAH AL-DAW AL-NOUR 1127510


MAZAR FAISAL YOUSEF AHMED 1122910
IZAT SHAKIRIN NOORDIN 1126177
NUR ATIEQA KAMAL ARIS 1129862

Introduction
* Ethical egoism(also known as simply egoism)
is thenormative ethicalposition thatmoral agents
ought to do what is in their ownself-interest.
* It is different from psychological egoism, which
claims thatpeople are only able to act upon their
self-interest. It is also different fromrational
egoism, which claims that it is rationalto act in
one's self-interest.

Introduction
* Ethical egoism doesnt necessarily require moral
agents to harm the interests and well-being of
others when making moral deliberation; e.g. what
is in an agent's self-interest may be incidentally
detrimental, beneficial, or neutral in its effect on
others.
* Ethical egoism is often used as the philosophical
basis for support ofright-libertarianism
andindividualist anarchism.These are political
positions based partly on a belief that individuals
should not coercively prevent others from
exercising freedom of action

Introduction

In this presentation we will be


discussing the various aspects of
Ethical Egoism. The causes of egoism,
The Principles of Ethical Egoism,
Differences between Ethical Relativism
and Egoism, and finally Forms of

THE CAUSES
OF EGOISM

SOCIAL OR CULTURAL EGOISM (prejudice for race


and town)
Culture is the total way of life and comprises lot of

dimensions.
Ethics vary from society to society (or culture to culture)

which individuals must look to their societys norms to


determine right and wrong in it.
Each societies views are correct for that society none is

better or worse than any other.


Prejudice for race and town is down of the basic factor that

causes cultural egoism. It also leads to the fact that some


of the past successors of the successors of the Prophet
(S.A.W) fabricate some hadith in favour of their race, town
and Imam.

This happens in Arab country where they do such an act on

their own selfish interest.

Example is the hadith which says love Arab for three

things, Muhammad is Arab, Quran is written in Arabic and


language of resurrection is Arabic. Meanwhile the Prophet
(S.A.W) never utter such a word during his lifetime.

UNIVERSAL EGOISM

This is the universal policy that everyone should follow

their own interests exclusively.

In man they have this sense of natural eagerness to

take pleasure in different kind of things namely: in


materialistic this can be in many forms such as getting
pleasure from eating, drinking, sexual pleasure and so
on or even non-materialistic which can be in the form of
having satisfaction through emotional and behavioural.

Differences between
Ethical Relativism and
Egoism

Ethical Relativism
It is a tendency to make ethical choices which reflect on the

basis of what looks right or reasonable based on ones own


believe or value system.

The two basic forms of relativism are:

Personal or Individual Ethical Relativism


This is whereby each individual has his or her own

ethical analysis on a particular subject. There is no


individual who can claim that his or her view is better
than the others.

Social or Cultural Relativism


In this form the ethics differ from society to society or
culture to culture. By this each person should refer to their
norm of society so as to decide what is right and wrong. The
views of that society are acceptable for that society,
therefore there is no such thing as one society view is
better or worse than the other.

EGOISM
It is a view that a person does what he wants to do in his

self-interest or goal in order to have an advantage of that


situation for himself.
The two basic forms of ethical egoism are:

Psychological egoism
This is the only achievable motivation of people is drawn on

their own self-interest. People cannot act on doing


something that they do not want to do because what they
want to do is basically clarified in terms of our own personal
self-interest.
Ethical egoism
This claims that the only pleasing motivation should be from

the self interest. It is when a person does what he wants to


do just to please himself alone.

PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL EGOISM

Principles
of Faith

Principles
Of Ethical
Egoism
Principles
of Justice

Principles
of Trust

Principles of Faith

Only to the Divine


Forms an act of
worshipping
Drives pure
intention

Principles of Trust

Following
the
Prophets
Sunnah

From
where man
puts FAITH

Trust

Motivate:
to please
Allah S.
W.T.

Principles of Justice

Object of
Rational
choice
Basic
Structure of
the Society

From the basis of moral principle..

INDIVIDUAL

Own natural
duties

Not to satisfy
ones wants &
needs but to
others.

ISSUE!

Whether an
individuals
actions are what
may cause help or
harming others
because of our
interests

= ALTRUISM

A person may not know others interest but


bound to help.
Practice of concern for the welfare of others
Promotes ones interest; egoist at the end
pursue own interest

ALTRUISM

Besides ethical egoism


(a)
Subjective
Egoism
Mans self ego
persists with a
bunch of desires to
benefit himself

Eg: A person have plans


to reach his goals to fulfill
his desire but it may not
be reached FAILED
ETHICAL THEORY

(b) Classical
Egoism
One should achieve
their own rational selfinterest by arranging
standards of making
our own happy life

Demolish factors of
failure; put forth on what
the aim of wanting is.

THOMAS HOBBES (1588-1679)

Egoism of one person


enables to enact an act
of action on achieving
their fuLfillment of
goals by not including
the harming & offenses
of others, teaches not to
lie & to keep promises
made when it comes to
the lines of reasoning

FORMS OF ETHICAL EGOISM

CATEGORIES

(a) Individual
Ethical
Egoism

(b) Personal
Ethical
Egoism

(c) Universal
Ethical
Egoism

(A) PERSONAL ETHICAL EGOISM

Definition

People
should act
anything
that can
benefit
them.

They have
no interest
about
others

Not apply
to
everyone

Personal
Ethical
Egoism

Selfish

They state
what one
person is
going to do

Unethical
Claim others to act on their own

Claims everyone should act


based on their own self-interest
One-for-one ; should do what
they wanted to

Act based
on

(B) INDIVIDUAL ETHICAL EGOISM

(C) UNIVERSAL ETHICAL EGOISM

Group
selfinterests

Related
with
Individual
Ethical
Egoism

Conclusion
In conclusion, Islam condemns egoism which is the care
of greatest good of oneself alone. The social or cultural
egoism such as the Arab countries have even gone to
the extent to fabricate some hadith in favor of their race,
town and Imam to act upon their own selfish interest.
Basically, egoism here has to be in line with the divine
words of Allah (S.W.T) and following the best model of
our Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).

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