I’m sceptical that pushing egoism over utilitarianism will make people less prone to punish others.
I don’t know any system of utilitarianism that places terminal value on punishing others, and (although there probably exists a few,) I don’t know of anyone who identifies as a utilitarian who places terminal value on punishing others. In fact, I’d guess that the average person identifying as a utilitarian is less likely to punish others (when there is no instrumental value to be had) than the average person identifying as an egoist. After all, the egoist has no reason to tame their barbaric impulses: if they want to punish someone, then it’s correct to punish that person.
I agree that your version of egoism is similar to most rationalists’ versions of utilitarianism (although there are definitely moral realist utilitarians out there). Insofar as we have time to explain our beliefs properly, the name we use for them (hopefully) doesn’t matter much, so we can call it either egoism or utilitarianism. When we don’t have time to explain our beliefs properly, though, the name does matter, because the listener will use their own interpretation of it. Since I think that the average interpretation of utilitarianism is less likely to lead to punishment than the average interpretation of egoism, this doesn’t seem like a good reason to push for egoism.
Maybe pushing for moral anti-realism would be a better bet?
I’m sceptical that pushing egoism over utilitarianism will make people less prone to punish others.
I don’t know any system of utilitarianism that places terminal value on punishing others, and (although there probably exists a few,) I don’t know of anyone who identifies as a utilitarian who places terminal value on punishing others. In fact, I’d guess that the average person identifying as a utilitarian is less likely to punish others (when there is no instrumental value to be had) than the average person identifying as an egoist. After all, the egoist has no reason to tame their barbaric impulses: if they want to punish someone, then it’s correct to punish that person.
I agree that your version of egoism is similar to most rationalists’ versions of utilitarianism (although there are definitely moral realist utilitarians out there). Insofar as we have time to explain our beliefs properly, the name we use for them (hopefully) doesn’t matter much, so we can call it either egoism or utilitarianism. When we don’t have time to explain our beliefs properly, though, the name does matter, because the listener will use their own interpretation of it. Since I think that the average interpretation of utilitarianism is less likely to lead to punishment than the average interpretation of egoism, this doesn’t seem like a good reason to push for egoism.
Maybe pushing for moral anti-realism would be a better bet?