Editing Ethical egoism (section)

{{Short description|View that people should only act in their own self-interest}}
{{For|other forms of egoism|Egoism}}
{{Individualism sidebar}}
In [[ethical philosophy]], '''ethical egoism'''  is the [[normative ethics|normative]] position that [[Moral agency|moral agent]]s ''ought'' to act in their own [[self-interest]]. It differs from [[psychological egoism]], which claims that people ''can only'' act in their self-interest. Ethical egoism also differs from [[rational egoism]], which holds that it is ''[[rationality|rational]]'' to act in one's self-interest.<ref>Sanders, Steven M. "Is egoism morally defensible?" ''Philosophia''. Springer Netherlands. Volume 18, Numbers 2–3 / July 1988</ref>
Ethical egoism holds, therefore, that actions whose consequences will benefit the doer are ethical.<ref>{{Citation|last=Shaver|first=Robert|title=Egoism|date=2019|url=https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2019/entries/egoism/|encyclopedia=The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy|editor-last=Zalta|editor-first=Edward N.|edition=Spring 2019|publisher=Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University|access-date=2020-05-27}}</ref>

Ethical egoism contrasts with ethical [[altruism (ethics)|altruism]], which holds that moral agents have an [[moral obligation|obligation]] to help others. Egoism and altruism both contrast with ethical [[utilitarianism]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Utilitarianism|url=https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/utilitarianism|website=Ethics Unwrapped|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-27}}</ref> which holds that a moral agent should treat one's [[Philosophy of self|self]] (also known as [[subject (philosophy)|the subject]]) with no higher regard than one has for others (as egoism does, by elevating self-interests and "the self" to a status not granted to others). But it also holds that one is not obligated to sacrifice one's own interests (as altruism does) to help others' interests, so long as one's own interests (i.e., one's own [[desire (philosophy)|desires]] or [[Quality of life|well-being]]) are substantially equivalent to the others' interests and well-being, but they have the choice to do so. Egoism, utilitarianism, and altruism are all forms of [[consequentialism]], but egoism and altruism contrast with utilitarianism, in that egoism and altruism are both [[Consequentialism#Agent-focused or agent-neutral|agent-focused]] forms of consequentialism (i.e., subject-focused or [[Subjectivity|subjective]]). However, utilitarianism is held to be agent-neutral (i.e., [[Objectivity (philosophy)|objective]] and [[Impartiality|impartial]]): it does not treat the subject's (i.e., the self's, i.e., the moral "agent's") own interests as being more or less important than the interests, desires, or well-being of others.

Ethical egoism does not, however, require moral agents to harm the interests and well-being of others when making moral deliberation; e.g., what is in an agent's self-interest may be incidentally detrimental, beneficial, or neutral in its effect on others. [[Individualism]] allows for others' interest and well-being to be disregarded or not, as long as what is chosen is efficacious in satisfying the self-interest of the agent. Nor does ethical egoism necessarily entail that, in pursuing self-interest, one ought always to do what one wants to do; e.g., in the long term, the fulfillment of short-term desires may prove detrimental to [[self (philosophy)|the self]]. Fleeting pleasure, then, takes a back seat to protracted [[eudaimonia]]. In the words of [[James Rachels]], "Ethical egoism ... endorses selfishness, but it doesn't endorse foolishness."<ref name="Rachels 2008, p. 534">Rachels 2008, p. 534.</ref>

Ethical egoism is often used as the philosophical basis for support of [[right-libertarianism]] and [[individualist anarchism]].<ref name=ridgely>{{Cite web
 | last = Ridgely
 | first = D.A.
 | title = Selfishness, Egoism and Altruistic Libertarianism
 | date = August 24, 2008
 | url = http://www.positiveliberty.com/2008/08/selfishness-egoism-and-altruistic-libertarianism.html
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081202145221/http://www.positiveliberty.com/2008/08/selfishness-egoism-and-altruistic-libertarianism.html
 | url-status = dead
 | archive-date = December 2, 2008
 | access-date = 2008-08-24}}</ref> These are political positions based partly on a belief that individuals should not coercively prevent others from exercising freedom of action.