Altruism: What Is Pursuing Self-Interest?

Cristine Ramos
PHI-251
Term Paper

Whenever you do something, you are motivated by your strongest desire.
Whenever you are motivated by your strongest desire, you are pursing your self-interest.
Therefore, whenever you do something, you are pursuing your self-interest. (Shafer-Landau, 94).

This argument has everything to do with a psychological egoism view, which is the view in which the only thing that motivates human-beings is their own self-interest. Compared to the altruism view, which is that the direct desire to benefit others for their own sake without any ulterior motives. In this Argument it is basically stating that everything someone does is for ones self interest. There are plenty of arguments against psychological
There is always people that have different views and opinions. In there are people opposed to this view as stated before they are people that have the altruism view, thinking that we do things just for the desire to benefit other without any self-interest. Some examples that may be against our argument maybe that helping a stranger that dropped all his or her books in the hallway is a sign of being unselfish because they are helping someone and will get nothing in return. Well sure they may not get anything physical in return but they will get that satisfaction of being a good person. They have unconscious self-interest we were talking about before. Shafer-Landau tells it best “All human actions are aimed at avoiding some personal loss or gaining some personal benefits, either in the short run or in the long term (92). In that example above the person picking up the books sure isn’t automatically thinking it but we are thought from a young age that doing good things will later on lead to good things for you. As a child did you ever get a treat for helping your parents out with chores. You did something good and later you were rewarded. So your brain subconsciously knows is telling you to do good things like it was when you were a child. Its like the whole idea of karma. Helping someone out can bring good karma to you later. Humans want to believe that they are unselfish people because they have generosity and
Even if they don’t realize it themselves, it is. We looked at our premise and explained how they were true and gave examples why. When then gave some opposing examples to then see the other side of things. Looking though the eyes of someone with an altruism view on life. We determined through that through the opposing arguments that our argument was still valid, and they we are all selfish no matter what we do. We can’t help it, we do things to better our own life even if we don’t believe its for ourselves, it most likely is. It is nature and shouldn’t be looked at as something bad. Sure there are those people that cross the line when it comes to being selfish that only do things for self-interest. But we are all like that they are just more blunt then others are about it. A finally example, that shows the two different levels for the same self interest thing. Your mom asks you to clean the living room, a very open egoist will be like sure can I go to the movies if i do. Where as someone else may just do it, thinking they are doing it just to be nice and generous. When in reality they are unconsciously thinking that if they do it that they will get reward by being able to go out later. Everyone has a different way of pursing their self-interest, but they are all motived by that strong desire of getting something. So yes, we are all self-interested, in fulfilling our