the difference between psychological and ethical egoism?
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "psychological ethical egoism" to get this:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=psychological+ethical+egoism&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.
I hope this helps.
Psychological egoism and ethical egoism are two different theories that reflect different perspectives on human behavior and motivation. Here's the difference between the two:
1. Psychological Egoism: Psychological egoism is a descriptive theory that asserts that humans are inherently self-interested beings, and all of our actions are ultimately motivated by self-interest. According to this theory, people only act in ways that they perceive will bring them some form of personal gain or benefit, even if those actions appear altruistic at first glance. In other words, it suggests that humans are incapable of genuine selflessness.
To understand psychological egoism, one way is to observe and analyze human behavior, looking for patterns that demonstrate self-interested motives behind apparently selfless acts. Psychologists and social scientists often conduct studies and experiments to gather evidence for or against psychological egoism by studying human behavior and the underlying motivations behind it.
2. Ethical Egoism: Ethical egoism, on the other hand, is a normative theory that asserts that individuals ought to act in their own self-interest. It prescribes that individuals have a moral obligation to prioritize their own well-being and happiness over the needs or interests of others. In ethical egoism, self-interest is seen as the ultimate moral principle or value.
To understand ethical egoism, it involves examining the moral principles and philosophical reasoning that support the idea of self-interest being the guiding force for ethical decision making. This field of study often involves ethical philosophy and moral reasoning to validate or challenge the moral claims made by ethical egoism.
In summary, psychological egoism describes human behavior by suggesting that people are motivated solely by self-interest, while ethical egoism prescribes that individuals ought to prioritize their own self-interest as a moral obligation. While psychological egoism is a descriptive theory explaining our motivations, ethical egoism is a normative theory prescribing how we ought to act.