Ethical egoism

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Ethical egoism describes a philosophical maxim and its ethical justification , according to which one can or should let oneself be guided in one's actions entirely by what one's own opinion is best for oneself.

General

Ethical egoism can be formulated in a strong or in a weak form: the strong formulation is that it is ethically compulsory to maximize its utility, the weak formulation that it is ethically permissible to maximize its utility. The strong form is largely uncommon. One reason is the performative contradiction that someone who defends ethical egoism in its strong form would have to advise others to follow the same maxim if he wanted to remain true to his principles. With this advice, however, he in turn damages his ability to assert his interests to the maximum.

The weak form of ethical egoism is the basis of contract theory . Ethical egoism also plays a role in business ethics. Economic rationality is often understood as pure end-means-rationality, which follows the economic principle , according to which one would like to achieve maximum benefit with available means or achieve a certain goal with minimal effort. The concentration on a purely instrumental rationality leads to an ethical egoism that ignores other value levels ( community , solidarity , freedom and justice ) and target systems ( meaning of life , peace , religion ).

This is supported by the neoclassical theory , which proves that under various assumptions, including the behavior of people as Homo oeconomicus , a welfare maximum arises. In this model, however, Homo oeconomicus is not a pure egoist . Even altruistic behavior (z. B. Gifts) cause satisfaction and benefit. Homo economicus will therefore act altruistically as long as its marginal utility of altruistic behavior is higher than its marginal costs. In addition, he will also consider the interests of others, but only if he promises himself a possible benefit - either immediately or in the long term. The boundary of his behavior therefore does not run between egoism and altruism, but between mutual or only one-sided betterment.

Individual representatives of an ethical egoism

An early proponent of ethical egoism was Max Stirner , who in his major work The Single and His Property proves to be a deep psychological thinker anticipating Nietzsche and Freud , whose concept of egoism only superficially rejects that of Homo oeconomicus (reinterpreted as a human image). True egoistic self-interest can only be pursued by someone who has freed himself from the norms introjected and internalized in the course of his enculturation (Freud's superego ).

Around 1900, Stirner's biographer John Henry Mackay represented a modified version of Stirner's teaching reduced by its psychological content, the individualistic anarchism founded by Benjamin Tucker (“Equal Freedom for All”).

Ayn Rand , who set himself apart from Stirner and Mackay and mainly worked in the USA , represented a newer version of ethical egoism in the middle of the 20th century . In her objectivistic philosophy, Rand sees the use of reason as a basic prerequisite for truly selfish action and defines clear moral principles that should guide selfish action.

Another prominent author, who is often referred to as a representative of an ethical egoism, was the Marquis de Sade , although the characters he invented often crossed the line into amorality . A corresponding example of de Sade's egoism is the worldview of the bandit captain "Eisenherz", which appears repeatedly in his main work Justine .

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Dieter Birnbacher : Analytical Introduction to Ethics, 2nd edition, 2007, ISBN 3110194422 , page 331, online
  2. ^ Thomas Müller: Unternehmensethik und Corporate Citizenship, 2009, ISBN 3836652463 , page 60, online
  3. ↑ See Bernd A. Laska : The negation of the irrational superego in Max Stirner . In: Anarchism and Pedagogy. Studies on a Forgotten Tradition, ed. v. Ulrich Klemm. Frankfurt / M .: dipa-Verlag 1991, pp. 33-44