Egoism Vs Utilitarianism Essay

Utilitarianism versus Egoism Taken from the ideals of normative ethics, traditions stemming from the late 18th and 19th centuries, John Stewart Mill and Jeremey Bentham conclude that an action is right if it in turn promotes happiness and an action is bad or wrong if it produces the opposite effect of happiness. They both conclude that the actions of these individuals will affect not just the individual themselves but it will affect that of everyone involved by the decision made. Utilitarianism is a more sound and logical theory of philosophy because it has more dynamic properties that relate to the human nature than that of Egoism. This negates the idea that one will pursue his or her own self-interest, even at the expense of others. Utilitarianism is an effort to provide an answer to an age old question; what should man do? It is popular belief within the realms of philosophy, that one should act to produce the best consequence possible and in assessing the cause and effect of actions made by man, it acts on the theory of intrinsic value or an end-in-itself. Mankind is psychologically different
in many ways. What one person believes to be sound in morality, could actually be distorted in reality. When it comes to consequences of actions, the utilitarianism approach allows us to illustrate all the good and bad produced by an act. Mill believes, a persons actions should be classified as morally right or wrong only if the resulting consequences are of such significance that a person would wish to see the action compelled, not merely exhorted and persuaded, to act in the preferred way.
Hedonist, such as the philosophers discussed in this text, analyze a balance of happiness as an equilibrium of pleasure over pain. They believed that these emotional responses alone are of intrinsic disvalue and value. Using these ideas, hedonist can compare the products produced by two different situations and determine which of the two would have better consequences. We should hold each other to a standard and through a system based on utilitarianism, we should create a point system of summing up units of pleasure and pain for those who might be affected and then determine a best course of
action. To find good in the acts of mankind based on the pursuit of one’s own self-interest, is a valid interpretation of Egoism. The idea that one can gain perfection through the expansion of one’s own welfare and profit, is lacking in the essential characteristics of a healthy moral code of ethics. We should delve further into the complex workings of the human psyche when determining what molds a human into perfection. It is clear that utilitarianism illustrates far more intelligent and meaningful concepts that can relate to the affect that decision making can have on an individual and the entities involved. Hedonism of the ancient Greeks suggest that man should seek his own greatest happiness. This idea is vague and does not bring the entire community affected by a decision into the spotlight. It is obvious in translation that utilitarianism is the tending of one’s own conscience and moral growth. So in a sense, utilitarian’s are likewise egoists in a way. The main difference is that when we use the egoistic approach, we only stress the importance of the individual and we do not stresses the importance of the community. When we include a more dynamic concern for how decisions we make affect those around us, we can make a more-healthy moral conclusion in order to keep a balance between pleasure and pain.
Works Cited

"Egoism". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 19 Jul. 2015

"Utilitarianism". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 19 Jul. 2015

Zimmerman, Michael J. "Intrinsic value (ethics)." Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. Ed. Haught J. A. N.p., 28 May 2015.google. Web. 15 July 2015.