Two main consequentialist theories - Ethical Egoism

5 important questions on Two main consequentialist theories - Ethical Egoism

Who are the 3 influential authors of ethical egoism?

  1. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
  2. Adam Smith (1723-1790)
  3. popularized by Ayn Rand (1905-1982)

Which perception from Adam Smith is the influence of egoism related to?

The perception of ideal markets and (a limited reading of) Adam Smith's "invisible hand"

What is understood when speaking of Enlightened Egoism?

Egoism based on interest approaches; the idea of objective value in that one way of acting is objectively better or 'more ethical' than another.
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What are the 5 problems that are mentioned by Crane & Matten when it comes to ethical egosim?

  1. Theory is internally inconsistent as each person pursues their own self-interest and must accept that others do too (even though this is not in their own self-interest)
  2. Moral view based on short-term satisfaction of needs is contradictory with our moral principles
  3. Enlightened egoism focuses on the meeting of long-term human interests.
  4. Enlightened egoism does not take a stance on the nature of the interests and desires of individuals, which can still lead to problems due to conflicting interests.
  5. Theory needs to be complemented by more developed ethical theories.

What would an ethical egoist do when confronted with the dilemma concerning a self-driving car when manufacturing the car?

If an ethical egoist is manufacturing the car, she/he would likely aim to serve egoist customers to sell more cars.

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