Junabel Esper A. Manuel

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CONTEMPORARY MORAL PROBLEMSJAMES E. WHITE

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CONTEMPORARY MORAL PROBLEMSBy:James E. Whitehttp://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0495553204/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235317352&sr=8-1

To defend one is not to defend the other. We may assume – quite properly, if my analysis has been correct – that the virtue of beneficence does, and indeed should, occupy an important place in the moral institution of life.Learning Expectations:

I expect to learn the definition of egoism and moral scepticism.

Egoism and Moral Scepticism – James Rachels

Review:

It was mentioned in this chapter that, our ordinary thinking about morality is full of assumptionsthat we almost never question. There are these sceptical views that were suggested by Glaucon thathave come to be knows as psychological egoism and ethical egoism. Psychological egoism, asmentioned in this chapter, is the view that all men are selfish in everything that they do, that the onlymotive that anyone ever act is self-interest. Glaucon’s point here is that even if people act the way thatbenefits others, people are motivated to do that because of the belief that if they act this way it will be fortheir own advantage. In contrast, Ethical egoism is a normative view about how men ought to act. It wasstated in this chapter that, regardless of how men behave, they have no obligation to do anything exceptwhat is in their own interests.The author, James Rachels, mentioned also about the confusion of selfishness with self-interests.The author said that it is not the same. He also mentioned that, selfish behavior is a behavior that ignoresthe interests of others. Also, the author mentioned about the fallacy regarding every action done is eitherfrom self-interest or from other-regarding motives. In example that he gave, he said that a man whocontinues to smoke cigarettes even after knowing the connection of cigars with cancer, is said that he’snot acting from self-interest. Self-interest would dictate that he quit smoking. He continues smokingbecause of the pleasure of it. The author said that what the man shows us is the undisciplined pleasure-seeking.

Lesson Learned:

I learned that there are two types of egoism; psychological egoism and ethical egoism. I alsolearned the difference between the two. In this chapter I also learned about selfishness and self-interestand how the two differs.Integrative Questions:1. What is egoism?2. What is moral scepticism?3. What is psychological egoism?4. What is ethical egoism?5. Is egoism right?