Journal entry Reflective Journal My week following Egoism ethics. Day 1: Today I
ID: 3499339 • Letter: J
Question
Journal entry Reflective Journal My week following Egoism ethics. Day 1: Today I spent the day doing something that promotes my self-interest [Describe and explain how it went] Day 2: Observe people at a public location. Did you notice anyone exhibiting egoism? [Describe and explain) Day 3: Identify a person in your life that believes in Ethical Egoism. Explain and Describe. Day 4: Identify a person in your life that believes in Psychological Egoism. Explain and Describe. Day 5: Egoism (write about your thoughts on egoism).Explanation / Answer
The word egoism comes from the Latin word 'ego', which means 'I'. Egoism considers self-interest to be the basis of morality. The theory of egoism considers one’s self to be the motivation and the goal of one’s own action-oriented drives. The concept of egoism is true and applicable in real life situations.
I am a wife today. I have to look after home and my husband. But i also work, which is my self interest. By working, i intend to help my parents, brother and husband, financially. I desire to satisfy my self-interest, by working to maintian a positive self esteem. My husband and my parents are happy with my work and think i am very thoughtful and caring.
At a public location i saw a person exhibiting egoism. A person helped a blind man cross the road. After his selfless service, the blind man blessed the person, overwhelmingly. I went to the person and asked him why did he help the blind man cross the road. The blind man was not his beloved. He was not even related to the person. The person replied saying that he had helped the blind man in order to receive his blessings. His son was sick with malaria and he felt that helping the blind man will do some good to him and his family. So, it can be said that the person exhibited egoism and self-interest of receiving the blessings of the blind man was the basis of his morally correct action.
According to ethical egoism, a morally correct action is the one, which fulfill's one's own interests. It means that any result of an action, which proves to be beneficial is ethical. It focuses on the fact that any action of a person should serve his best interests. It is important to note that ethical egoism does not stand for harming other's interests and putting others in danger. It does not mean that an individual can willingly do whatever is required to satisfy his self-interest. Therefore, ethical egoism is more positive than negative. My brother believes in ethical egoism. He reported racial discrimination against a black person to the CEO of his company, which is a morally correct action. He did so because he himself did not want to be a target of racial discrimination in his workplace. He therefore acted in a morally correct way, to satisfy his self-interest.
According to psychological egoism, individuals act in ways they think are the best for serving their self-interest. It means that people always act to satisfy self-interest, be it a selfless act. It hightlights that people willingly help others, with the expectation of obtaining a benefit from the act. My husband believes in psychological egoism. He helps his friends and associates with the expectation that helping them is in his best interest. Those people helped by him, will stand for him in future, if he requires them.
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