Which of the following pairs believed that all people are driven by self-interest?
A.Bentham and Machiavelli
B.Bentham and Mill
C.Socrates and Plato
D.Kant and Sartre
To determine the correct pair who believed that all people are driven by self-interest, we need to understand the positions of each philosopher mentioned in the options.
A. Bentham and Machiavelli: Jeremy Bentham was an English philosopher and political theorist who introduced the concept of utilitarianism, which suggests that individuals act to maximize their own pleasure or happiness. Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian Renaissance political philosopher, believed that human nature is inherently selfish and that individuals act out of self-interest to gain power and maintain control.
B. Bentham and Mill: John Stuart Mill was a philosopher and political economist who was greatly influenced by Bentham’s utilitarianism. Both Bentham and Mill believed that people fundamentally act to maximize their individual happiness or pleasure.
C. Socrates and Plato: Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher, and Plato was his most famous student. While both philosophers discussed morality and ethics, they did not generally argue that people are solely driven by self-interest. Rather, they focused on virtues, ideals, and achieving the greater good.
D. Kant and Sartre: Immanuel Kant, an Enlightenment philosopher, believed in the importance of moral duty and believed that individuals have a sense of moral law within them. Jean-Paul Sartre, a French philosopher, argued for existentialism and the concept of radical freedom, emphasizing personal responsibility and the need to create meaning in life. Neither of these philosophers focused on the idea of individuals being solely driven by self-interest.
Based on this analysis, the correct answer is A. Bentham and Machiavelli, as both philosophers believed that human behavior is primarily motivated by self-interest.