Question

The psychological egoist claims that we humans are incapable of acting on motivations other than self-interest. Share any stories you know of that suggest that psychological egoism is mistaken.

Answer 1

Every person has some sort of self-interest when they perform any duty. For example, a person works in a company for his self-interest as he gets paid for it, money motivates him to work. Even when a small child does a favour to us, he expects us to give him something in return, like chocolate or money. The child is doing for his interest.

But there are many people who work but not for self-interest. There is no self-benefit in that work. For example, those who work for the country, Army, Airforce, Navy. These people work for country, and they don’t expect any benefit from the state.

They risk their life just for the pride of the country, they protect the civilians, protect border from the alien people and they do it without any self-interest.

Sportsmen also play for the country, recently FIFA world cup has just finished, and all the players were playing for the country, to make their country proud. There was no self-interest hidden.