Empino, Romir Gian O.

ITETHICS

Egoism and Moral Scepticism: James Rachels

Review Questions:
1. Explain the legend of Gyges. What questions about morality are raised by the
story?
– The legend of Gyges is a story were in a shepherd had found a magic ring
in a fissure opened by and earthquake. It will make the bearer invisible so,
upon knowing its powers, he plan to pass a Royal Palace to seduce the
queen in order for him to kill the king and seized the throne. The main
question raised by this legend is it moral to use a extraordinary power for
the good of the greed?

2. Distinguish between psychological and ethical egoism.

– Psychological egoism is the belief of men that doing an action will benefit
his interest while ethical egoism is also the same with psychological
egoism but there is a breach on other people’s interests.

3. Rachels discusses two arguments for psychological egoism. What are these
arguments, and how does he reply to them?
– The first argument is that the people can do things based on their own
perspective and the second one: actions are being done for the sake of
others. These arguments are all about actions of a person. He replies to
these arguments through citing instances regarding on the arguments
mentioned earlier.

4. What three commonplace confusions does Rachels detect in the thesis of

psychological egoism?
– The three commonplace confusions are a). selfishness with self-
interests,b). assumption that every action is done either from self-interest
and c). the common but false assumptiuon that a concern for one’s own
welfare is incompatible with others.

5. State the argument for saying that ethical egoism is inconsistent. Why
doesn’t Rachels accept this argument?
– “Therefore, the argument goes, there is no way to maintain the doctrine
of ethical egoism as a consistent view…..”. Rachels we must put our
minds in a certain kind of world for the others wherein that world is a
place for us to maximize our interests regarding of other people’s
interests.

6. According to Rachels, why shouldn’t we hurt others, and why should we help
others? How can the egoist reply?
– According to Rachels, we shouldn’t hurt others because they will be hurt
and we should help others because they will benefiting on our help.
Because an egoist does not care on others value, they will react negative
about it.

Discussion Questions
1. Has Rachels answered the question raised by Glaucon, namely “Why be
moral?” If so, what exactly is his answer?
– Rachels answers the question “Why be moral” because he believes that
the virtue of beneficence does and indeed should occupy an important
place in the “moral institution of life”.
2. Are genuine egoists rare, as Rachels claims? Is it a fact that most people care
about others, even people they don’t know?
– I think yes, although people doesn’t know the time when they are already
showing their care to others, still they do this practice coz it is an instinct
for us, as humans.

3. Suppose we define ethical altruism as the view that one should always act for
the benefit of others and never in one’s own self-interest. Is such a view
immoral or not?
– The view is moral.