Egoism and Altruism

Egoism and altruism are two viewpoints relating to moral action and character. The various types of egoism, or self-interest, are described in Chapter 4 of our text. Hinman, near the end of the chapter, suggests that we should depart from a dichotomy that has too long controlled much of the ethical conversation. He suggests acknowledging both, as is described in the phrase “enlightened self-interest”, where we strive to create ‘win-win’ moral situations, where everyone benefits.

Respond to John Galt’s own self-revelation, excerpted from Ayn Rand’s long novel, Atlas Shrugged. (page 94)

Describe a moral situation, showing how altruism and egoism are both operative.

Garrett Hardin’s Ethics of Helping/Not Helping People in a Famine Condition

In a landmark article in ethics, author Garrett Hardin expresses the egoist position relating to helping others, particularly those in famine-prone areas of the world. Have a look at his article,

http://www.garretthardinsociety.org/articles_pdf/living_on_a_lifeboat.pdf

Agree or disagree with Hardin’s view that helping others, in some cases, is immoral. Explain your reasoning, while at the same time clearly describing selected portions of Hardin’s reasoning.

After reading Chapter 5, The Ethics of Consequences, consider the following TED talk by Peter Singer, one of the most famous living philosopher in the English –speaking world.

Respond to Singer’s utilitarian arguments about how to relieve suffering in our contemporary world.

Respond with a substantive entry of 250 words or more, as needed, as a post before but no later than Thursday of the forum week; failure to add the substantive entry when requested results in a 10-point reduction. During the rest of the forum time, respond to two or more other students’ major posts, not later than 11:59pm, CST, of the last day of the forum. Do not wait till the last hours of the last day to post; doing so is counter-productive to the idea of a forum designed for the exchange of views.