Ethical Egoism: The Nature Philosophy

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After studying many different ethical schools of thought, I have further affirmed, for myself at least, that Ethical Egoism is the best and most natural personal philosophy to follow. While the principles of most other philosophies and ethics are not horrible or absurd, they are not as fitting as the principles and teachings of ethical egoism and Niccolo Machiavelli. As humans, we should accept the realization that we are all pursuing our wants, desires, and pleasures. This is not a shameful or wrong thing, it is only natural. We, as humans, simply wish to lead a good life, and the best component of a good life is achieving our desires and goals. However, I am not saying that we should wildly chase those desires. Indeed, it is important that we have a method for the acquisition of those pleasures which we will inevitably find ourselves working to achieve. For that reason, I adhere to the teachings of Machiavelli which are found in his work, The Prince, because his ideas are the best that were presented in the modern time of philosophy. I believe that by applying these principles, we can achieve a good life, because a good life is fulfilling our desires and creating a successful future for ourselves, and doing so orderly and properly. By orderly and properly, I mean doing so by achieving and maintaining power carefully, on any level. Included in Machiavelli’s devices and principles to achieving a good, successful life are being miserly rather than generous, cruel than merciful, not keeping promises that would hinder our aspirations, surrounding ourselves with wise and honest people, and making for ourselves reputations as great and remarkable people. Frugality with others is most often better than generosity. I did say “most of... ... middle of paper ... ...contact with others and in our work, regardless of its nature, will have consequences. Whether those consequences are positive or negative is left for us to determine. Those who live the happiest, best lives are those who meet the most goals that they have set for themselves. The good life is not measured in our conscience, in our good deeds, or in the good we bring to others, but it is manifested in those who obtain their desires and do so orderly and properly. I intend to be one of those people, and I plan to do so by following many of the principles found in Niccolo Machiavelli’s, Prince, wherein he sets these timeless guidelines: being miserly rather than generous, cruel than merciful, not keeping promises that would hinder our aspirations, surrounding ourselves with wise and honest people, and making for ourselves reputations as great and remarkable people.

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