Formulating Ethical Egoism

"By the grace of reality and the nature of life, man--every man--is an end in himself, he exists for his own sake, and the achievement of his own happiness is his highest moral purpose." (From Ayn Rand's "A Defense of Ethical Egoism")

"Ethical Egoism is the idea that each person ought to pursue his or her own self-interest exclusively. . . . Ethical Egoism says we have no moral duty except to do what is best for ourselves." (From Rachels' "Egoism")

Pleasure and Pain

As1: There is a unique feeling or sensation of pleasure (pain).

As2: Pleasure (pain) comes in episodes.

D1: E is an episode of pleasure (pain) =df. E is an event that consists in someone feeling some pleasure (pain) during some period of time.

Hedons: standard unit of measurement for pleasure; every episode of pleasure contains some number of hedons.

Dolors: standard unit of measurement for pain; every episode of pain contains some number of dolors.

As3: For each episode of pleasure (pain) experienced, there is a precise amount of pleasure (pain)--number of hedons (dolors)--contained in that episode.

If two episodes of pleasure are alike in intensity, but one lasts longer than the other, then the longer one contains more hedons.

If two episodes of pleasure are alike in duration, but one is more intense than the other, then the more intense one contains more hedons.

As4: Hedons and dolors are commensurate: hedons and dolors can be added and subtracted to generate hedono-doloric values.

D2: The hedonic agent utility of an act, A, =df. the result of subtacting the total number of dolors that A would bring about for the agent of A from the total number of hedons that A would bring about for the agent of A.

D3: A is an alternative to B =df. A is another act that the agent of B can do at the time of B instead of B.

D4: An act, A, maximizes hedonic agent utility =df. no alternative to A has a higher hedonic agent utility than a has.

EEh: An act, A, is morally right iff A maximizes hedonic agent utility.