Ethics

Psychological egoism is the theory which states that all human actions are associated withif not completely motivatedby their own selfish desires. The theory assumes that individuals act merely to realize their self-interests. While it may seem that people have the capacity to want things for other people, the theory states that people only do such things if they believe that the happiness of other people is somehow related to their own happiness. In a manner of speaking, it could be said that goodwill and altruism are mere figments of the human imagination, for underneath the seemingly unselfish surface lies a selfish motive.

Thus, in a sense, it can be said that the benefits which human beings provide other individuals are mere instruments to gain what they want. It is presumed that individuals do things for other individuals because doing so serves as a bridge towards an underlying goal. Therefore, if one is to base his assumptions on the human race in the perspective of this theory, it is quite logical to state that man is selfish and immoral.

The theory also does not merely state what should be case in fact, it claims to be the ultimate truth and states that it is the case. The theory claims to be much more than a theory and that it is a description of reality. Apart from this, the theory also states that human beings are not capable of doing anything that is not somehow related to their ultimate end.

In relation to psychological egoism, consequentialism or liberalism with limits is the perception that morality consists of producing the right results in every possible circumstance. It also concerns the idea that morality is supposed to promote happiness and eventually remove suffering in the world also, consequentialism involves the idea of creating far more freedom for everyone else (Haines).

Therefore, it can be said that consequentialism is the opposite of it, since to be focused on ones personal happiness instead of the happiness of all is not considered to be moral. Consequentialism states that the results of actions can determine whether such actions are either moral or immoral.

According to Immanuel Kant (21), individuals do love humanity which is why most of their actions are based on the fact that they are doing their moral duties. However, amidst the good intentions, the self always turns up to assert itself and makes the individual realize that he or she is doing his or her moral duties because he or she will benefit from itand not merely because he or she merely believes in doing his or her duties.

On the other hand, nonconsequentialism or liberalism without limits is an ethical theory which argues that the morality or immorality of a certain act does not rely on the badness or goodness of the consequences of the given act. While it is accepted that the consequences can contribute to determining whether a given act is moral or immoral, it is stated that just because the results of a certain act is bad, that the act itself is automatically bad.

In fact, the theory also states that good consequences are not merely the result of good actions, but the result of an impartial calculation of good and evils. In relation to this, Adam Smith states that man is neither altruistic nor egoistic. He is bothfor love of self and love for others can co-exist peacefully within a human being.

Based on the previous discussion of psychological egoism, it could be said that belief on the theory may lead people to believe that there is no such thing as goodness in the world. People can be led to believe that no one does anything out of pure kindness or goodwill and that perhaps, anyone who does good things may be expected to be doing such things for it will benefit him or her.

Hence, in a manner of speaking, psychological egoism could lead people to believe that man is inherently selfishand that he will not do anything unless it benefits him in some way. It would ultimately defeat the notion that people can put other people first before their own intentions.

In fact, one can even say that if people indeed only act to satisfy their self-interests, then people are not doing good for the sake of doing good, but for entirely other different reasons, such as fear of apprehension or of being shun by other individuals. If the case is as such, then it can also be said that people are naturally immoral, for they will then not do good because it is good but because of the various implications that not doing good may cause.

Thus, in a nutshell, psychological egoism is trying to say that humans are not capable of doing things which will not benefit them and that everything they do may be directly or indirectly related to their own interests. Man is not capable of helping other people for the mere reason that they want to help themfor man is always concerned about how his actions will ultimately benefit him.

Nowadays, we live in a time where we always are suspicious of motiveswe believe that other people are doing things not because they are good, but because they have some sort of hidden agenda. In fact, it can be said that a lot of individuals believe that there is something to gain from other people, and this is why it seems to be that other individuals are mere tools in getting what they want.

However, as discussed with regard to nonconsequentialism, there is no reason that one should assume that man is either completely altruistic or completely egoistic. In a manner of speaking, if man pursues his self-interests, it does not necessarily mean that he does not care about other individuals. Everyone has his or her own interests, but it is not correct to say that these interests will push the individual into using other individuals for his or her own benefits.

Apart from this, it is quite irrational to assume that there may be an underlying motive whenever one does something for another individual. Human beings are very complex individuals hence, it would be quite an assumption if one concludes that they can be boxed in either category of good or evil. People are imperfect, yes, but to assume that their selfishness is an absolute truth is a serious misjudgment.