Moral Squeamishness and the Invisible Contract: Revisiting the Underlying Logic of "Selflessness" from Ethical Egoism

Abstract

In traditional ethics, "self-interest and altruism" is presented as a dichotomy. In the theoretical framework of ethical egoism, Hobbes" theory of the state of nature and social contract theory take self-interest as the fundamental driving force of human nature, and it has been consistently used in the construction of moral order in civilised societies, which dissolves the dichotomy of egoism-altruism. On the other hand, the purity of "good will" in Kant’s deontology is essentially illusory, and rational pleasure and implicit self-interest always constitute the deep-seated driving force of behaviour. Therefore, "rational self-interest", as a new paradigm of moral practice, stresses that social cooperation and civilisation advancement is actually an invisible contract made by self-interested people based on long-term interests. This perspective not only challenges the Utopian presuppositions of traditional ethics, but also provides a more realistic path for understanding the rational symbiosis between individuals and society.