John R. Hoffman is a Professor of Biology, public speaker and a scientist examining the recovery of the nervous system after injury. Since 2006 he has written several unpublished manuscripts and he is currently working on the first Nathaniel Smythe novel and short story collection. He spends his spare time with his family and running.

09 Egoism, Altruism, & Utilitarianism

Objectives:

By the end of this lecture, the student will be able to:

  1. Identify and provide examples of how different ethical systems can contribute to different responses to the same situation.

Part 1. Egoism, Self-interest, and Altruism

This mini-lecture examines egoism and altruism. The handout for this presentation can be downloaded and printed.

Reading

Chapter 6 Egoism, Self-Interest, and Altruism. Pojman & Fieser (2006): Ethics: Discovering Right and Wrong. pp. 81 – 99.

Part 2. Utilitarianism

This mini-lecture examines the ultilitarianism perspective. The handout for this presentation can be downloaded and printed.

Reading

Chapter 7 Utilitarianism. Pojman & Fieser (2006): Ethics: Discovering Right and Wrong. pp. 100 – 120.

Assignment

Indentured servitude and surrogate motherhood: Indentured servitude is the practice of contracting to provide a service for a fixed amount of time in exchange for food, clothing, and necessities during the indentured period. This is prohibited in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights passed in 1948.  In surrogate motherhood, a woman contracts with a couple to become pregnant and provide the couple with the baby. Normally the contract provides a stipend to cover the mother’s living and medical expenses. Within your discussion group, What do the views of egoism and utilitarianism say about surrogate motherhood? Is surrogate motherhood a form of indentured servitude? Does paying the surrogate mother a salary make this better or worse?