PP110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Egotism, Glaucon, Morality
Document Summary
Video: we need a moral operating" system jan 8th: power (ex. Egoism: an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality. the habit of valuing everything only in reference to one"s personal interest; selfishness (opposed to altruism) Morality: cooperating with each other in a situation of scarce resources. More in depth analysis: plato glaucon pp. 25-26: what would we rather do, we"d all rather behave like egoists and try to get as much as we possibly can. That"s precisely what our audience to the rules of morality is a second best option: here"s how plato puts the very same point: p 26, left column, the ring of gyges story, shephard came upon a magic ring. The ring was able to make it"s possessor invisible when turned inward. Turn outward and people could see him again. Sends himself to the king of the land and the representative of the shepherds.