PHIL 120: Chapter 5A Reading Guide

Vaughn, Doing Ethics — Chapter 5: Ethical Egoism

📖 Required Reading for this Module: Vaughn, Doing Ethics, pp. 85–91. Complete only this reading for this module; the rest of the chapter is covered in the paired module.
Instructions

This reading guide is designed to help you understand and answer the Review Questions for Module 5A. This assessment also verifies your active reading of the assigned pages. For each question below, please follow these steps:

Step 1: Navigate to the exact page and paragraph indicated. Locate the sentence using the provided beginning words and type the entire sentence verbatim into the first box.
Step 2: Answer the question based on your reading (no outside research needed or permitted) in your own words in the second box. (Page hints are provided in the answer boxes to help you locate the core answer).
⚡ Auto-Save Enabled: Your answers are automatically saved to this browser as you type. This guide is not submitted — use it to prepare for your module quiz. Use Export Answers to save a backup text copy, or Print to PDF to keep a personal record.

Review Question 1

On p. 85, (the paragraph beginning "Ethical egoism is the theory that the right action is the one that advances one's own best interests..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "Ethical egoism is the theory that..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What does ethical egoism claim is the right action, and why does it force us to consider two opposing attitudes?

Review Question 2

On p. 85, (the paragraph beginning "Ethical egoism says that one's only moral duty is to promote the most favorable balance of good over evil for oneself..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "Yet this extreme self-interest is..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Why is self-interest under ethical egoism "not necessarily selfishness," and why is it not the same as self-indulgence?

Review Question 3

On p. 85, (the paragraph beginning "Ethical egoism comes in two forms—one applying the doctrine to individual acts and one to relevant rules..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "Act-egoism says that to determine right action..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What is the difference between act-egoism and rule-egoism?

Review Question 4

On p. 87, (the paragraph beginning "The primary argument for ethical egoism depends heavily on a scientific theory known as psychological egoism..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "psychological egoism, the view that..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What is psychological egoism, and why does it fail to establish ethical egoism even if true?

Review Question 5

On p. 88, (the paragraph beginning "Is psychological egoism true? Many people think it is, and they offer several arguments in its favor..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "This argument, however, is..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What is the "experience argument" for psychological egoism, and why is it far from conclusive?

Review Question 6

On p. 88, (the paragraph beginning "Some ethical egoists may argue in a slightly different vein: People get satisfaction (or happiness or pleasure) from what they do..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "This argument is based on..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Why is the "satisfaction argument" for psychological egoism based on a conceptual confusion?

Review Question 7

On p. 90, (the paragraph beginning "We begin with Criterion 1, consistency with considered moral judgments..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "A major criticism of ethical egoism is..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Why does ethical egoism conflict with our considered moral judgments, as shown by the father-smothering case?

Review Question 8

On p. 90, (the paragraph beginning "One aspect of morality is so fundamental that we may plausibly view it as a basic fact of the moral life: moral impartiality..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "One aspect of morality is so fundamental..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What is moral impartiality, and why is the discrimination charge the most serious objection to ethical egoism?