Related Terms • philosophy • ethics • altruism

Definition:
Egoism is the position in philosophy that all human conduct is based upon self-interest, contrasted with the ethical philosophy of altruism, which argues that ethical acts are those which are based upon the interests of others. In psychology, this is simply made as an observation and point of departure for interpreting events. In ethics, it is advanced as a normative theory by which actions are judged based on whether it was done for the sake of the self or for the sake of others.

It is common for someone to hold to both psychological and ethical egoism, but that is not necessary. It is very possible for someone to simply observe that humans tend to act in their own self-interest, but then argue that it is ethical to take the interests of others into consideration when you act.

Many who adopt the ethical philosophy of egoism argue that altruism isn't even possible and that all of our actions are based upon self-interest. Usually, however, this argument is commits the fallacy of equivocation. The point is made that we only do things we want and which we are 'interested' in, but then it is concluded that these actions are therefore in our 'self-interest.' But the terms involved are not equivalent.

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Related Resources:

What are Ethics and Morality?
Ethics is the formal study of moral standards and conduct. For this reason, the study of ethics is also often called "moral philosophy." What is good? What is evil? How should I behave - and why? How should I balance my needs against the needs of others?

What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?