Editing Individualism (section)

=== Ethical egoism ===
{{main|Ethical egoism}}
Ethical egoism, also called simply egoism,<ref>Sanders, Steven M. Is egoism morally defensible? Philosophia. Springer Netherlands. Volume 18, Numbers 2–3 / July 1988</ref> is the [[normative ethics|normative ethical]] position that [[moral agent]]s ought to do what is in their own [[wikt:self-interest|self-interest]]. It differs from [[psychological egoism]], which claims that [[people]] ''do'' only act in their self-interest. Ethical egoism also differs from [[rational egoism]] which holds merely that it is [[Rationality|rational]] to act in one's self-interest. However, these doctrines may occasionally be combined with ethical egoism.

Ethical egoism contrasts with ethical [[Altruism (ethics)|altruism]], which holds that moral agents have an [[obligation]] to help and serve others. Egoism and altruism both contrast with ethical utilitarianism, which holds that a moral agent should treat one's [[self (philosophy)|self]] (also known as [[subject (philosophy)|the subject]]) with no higher regard than one has for others (as egoism does, by elevating self-interests and "the self" to a status not granted to others), but that one also should not (as altruism does) sacrifice one's own interests to help others' interests, so long as one's own interests (i.e. one's own [[Desire (philosophy)|desires]] or [[well-being]]) are substantially-equivalent to the others' interests and well-being. Egoism, utilitarianism, and altruism are all forms of [[consequentialism]], but egoism and altruism contrast with utilitarianism, in that egoism and altruism are both [[Consequentialism#Agent-focused or agent-neutral|agent-focused]] forms of consequentialism (i.e. subject-focused or [[Subjectivity|subjective]]), but utilitarianism is called agent-neutral (i.e. [[Objectivity (philosophy)|objective]] and [[impartial]]) as it does not treat the subject's (i.e. the self's, i.e. the moral "agent's") own interests as being more or less important than if the same interests, desires, or well-being were anyone else's.

Ethical egoism does not require moral agents to harm the interests and well-being of others when making moral deliberation, e.g. what is in an agent's self-interest may be incidentally detrimental, beneficial, or neutral in its effect on others. Individualism allows for others' interest and well-being to be disregarded or not as long as what is chosen is efficacious in satisfying the self-interest of the agent. Nor does ethical egoism necessarily [[logical consequence|entail]] that in pursuing self-interest one ought always to do what one wants to do, e.g. in the long term the fulfilment of short-term desires may prove detrimental to the self. Fleeting pleasance then takes a back seat to protracted [[eudaemonia]]. In the words of [[James Rachels]], "[e]thical egoism [...] endorses selfishness, but it doesn't endorse foolishness."<ref name="Rachels 2008, p. 534">Rachels 2008, p. 534.</ref>

Ethical egoism is sometimes the philosophical basis for support of [[libertarianism]] or [[individualist anarchism]] as in [[Max Stirner]], although these can also be based on altruistic motivations.<ref name=ridgely>{{cite web|last=Ridgely|first=D. A.|title=Selfishness, Egoism and Altruistic Libertarianism|date=August 24, 2008|url=http://www.positiveliberty.com/2008/08/selfishness-egoism-and-altruistic-libertarianism.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202145221/http://www.positiveliberty.com/2008/08/selfishness-egoism-and-altruistic-libertarianism.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 2, 2008|access-date=August 24, 2008}}</ref> These are political positions based partly on a belief that individuals should not coercively prevent others from exercising freedom of action.