So I started my junior year (11th grade) a couple of weeks ago and I got a new Philosophy teacher and sadly to not have any classes with my favorite teacher. *Crys* With my new philosophy teacher we were discussing Egosim, Altroisim, Utilitatism, the golden rule (treat others like you want to be threated) and one other thing I forgot about . We judged Egoism to not be a real ethic theory because it has to flaws.
1. An ethic theroy needs to be universiable without being contradictory. It's not in an egoist's interest to have others be egoists. 2. If somebody would ask an egoist for advice an egoist would have to give advice that profits him. And that defeats the whole point of advice.
Then we asked ourselves could there ever be a completly altroistic behavior.
Scenario: A kid is about to drown in a rather dangerous river. You're an average swimmer. You save the kid at the risk of your life.You're an average consumer.
What could be your reasons?
1. A possible reward.
2. Fame.
3. Your brain rewarding you with some hormons and shit. (Dopamine and stuff)
4. Not wanting to fell bad about letting that kid die.
Now number one and number two are not guaranteed so let's not think about those.
So In my eyes the reason you are saving the kid is to get those rewards from your brain.
However my classmates and teacher think that it's about saving the kid.
I personally do think that humans are very very similair to animals and that we are driven by our insticts.
Sadly my teacher completly blocks of when I tell him that we are instict driven egoistic scrubs.
What is your opinon on that? Am I'm looking at this from a wrong angle?
EDIT: Also when one thinks about it Altrusim is exactly as flawed as Egoism as an enthic therory. I think utilitatism is a great way to go.