Patrick Kioko Only

Tameeka Holland

Ethics 102

6-17-16

Should One Base Morality on Self-interest?

Kurt Baier, argues that morality is entirely based on self-interest (Baier 188). Individuals’

interest can be defined as that which benefits their lives NI. It is not the people’s self-interest that

creates their rights and duties – WOULD PEOPLE ASSUME THIS CONNECTION?.

Therefore, deep and universal human experience is that there are values outside human beings

that govern their lives, that some actions are good, while others are evil, and that it is meaningful

even to sacrifice one's own life for the sake of others – BUT WOULD IT BE GOOD IF ALL

MORALITY IS BASED ON SELF-INTEREST?. For this reason, morality has some deeper

roots on reality than Kurt's view allows – OK, SO YOUR GOAL IS TO CHALLENGE THE

NOTION THAT ALL MORALITY IS BASED ON SELF-INTEREST. Therefore, morality

should not be based entirely on self-interest.

Accordingly, it cannot be in everyone's interest for everyone to be moral – WHY?.

Although the collective interest of the society may be served by every person being moral, it may

not essentially apply to people individually (Bloomfield 50) – SO IF OUR ACTIONS ARE

BASED ON SELF-INTEREST, THEN THE IDEAL WOULD BE TO LIVE IN A SOCIETY

WHERE MOST PEOPLE ARE MORAL BUT YOU ARE NOT PERSONALLY

CONSTRAINED BY MORAL CONSIDERATIONS?. For instance, if an individual is being

pursued by the police for murder, it would be to their advantage if the police accepted a bribe to

release them - GE. However, the immoral acts of the police may not be for the best of the society

but would certainly serve the self-interest of the murderER NI. Therefore, rather than morality

Tameeka Holland

Ethics 102

6-17-16

being based on self-interest (WOULD KURT BAIER HAVE ACCEPTED WHAT THE

MURDERER DID AS RIGHT?), it derives its force from the unchallengeable human rights and

inherent human dignity.

Uncommonly, morality should only stand if individuals perform morally good actions

whether they profit from them or not because of moral acts have value in themselves CI.

Moreover, upholding moral values demands that individuals may sacrifice the pursuit of their

self-interests NI. However, morality should not be based on self-interests because people may

abuse that fact. It does not necessary mean PH that it is to an individual’s best interest to be

moral when everyone else is. For example, when everybody is trying to be moral, a person may

use that opportunity to profit NI – SO IS THIS AN OBJECTION? BUT YOU’RE NOT

OBJECTING HERE AND SAYING THAT MORALITY SHOULD BE BASED ON SELF-

INTEREST. YOU’RE ARTICULATING IN WHAT CONTEXT BEING IMMORAL WOULD

BE IN YOUR SELF-INTEREST. The fact that other people in the society are behaving in

morally acceptable ways does not make it more profitable for an individual also to be moral.

Additionally, the opposite would also be true -UC.

Morality exists so that our dignity as human beings can receive its ultimate and complete

meaning. However, this cannot be possible if morality is based on self-interest. Human freedom

ad rights are based on morality. Human beings receive, but they also have to give CI/EX. This

giving makes human beings share in what is noblest and greatest in the universe. However, as

noble as it is, this moral act of giving and sharing would not be possible if everyone acts to serve

their self-interests.

Tameeka Holland

Ethics 102

6-17-16

Although the interests of human beings may determine the origins of human morality, it

is not the definitive ground for moral behavior. It should not determine what is in the common

self-interest of the human race. Human beings have a moral obligation to help other people and

should not harm the wellbeing of others to serve their own CI. However, if morality is based

entirely on self-interest, people would treat their interests with the highest regard at the expense

of others.

In conclusion, the roots of morality are not based on the common self-interest.

However, they are based on the respect for what human beings are as well as the inherent

human dignity. Morality is rooted in the fact that human beings are created and

dependent – THIS IS INTERESTING. Morality should not be based on self-interest, but

on the respect for humanity, rights of others, and the authority of the reality that give

people existence.

IT WOULD BE INTESTING TO FURTHER DEVELOP KURT’S POSITION SO THAT

YOUR OPPOSITION BECOMES EASIER TO SEE.

Tameeka Holland

Ethics 102

6-17-16

Works Cited

Baier, Kurt. The Moral Point of View: A Rational Basis of Ethics. Abridged Ed. with a New Pref.

by the Author. Random House, 1966.

Bloomfield, Paul. Morality and Self-interest. Oxford University Press, 2007.