Saw this movie a few days ago (imdb) and thought -
Is the global financial crisis an example of ethical egoism being unstable? Will it stabilize, or are the egos/interests of those involved too deeply associated with the legislation controlling the financial sector (specifically in the US).
Hey, I think that the financial crisis cannot be taken as an example of ethical egoism. In the long run, those responsible were hurt by their decision, loss of jobs, shame etc. The idea of ethical egoism (I think) is actions that are long-term self-interested... so decisions that will be good for the individual in the long run are also decisions that will be good for society.
ReplyDeleteVery good point - all the theories, including utilitarianism and ethical egoism work better when applied to the longest-possible horizon.. It may be more difficult to predict what happens in the future, but ultimately it provides a more ethical framework to make a decision.
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