Mandeville & Ethics

 

Mandeville was a psychological egoist. He insisted that people were solely motivated by selfish and depraved desires.

 

They would admit it if they were open about it, but most were not and hypocritically claimed to be altruistic and virtuous. They just attributed to themselves kind natures, and generous motives.

 

People are born bad--that is altruistic and groupist, which leads to selfishness--openly displayed or hidden as noble.

 

What must people be taught as youngster to over overcome their fallen natures and lead a good life.? A background in virtue ethics would tell them to act only in building an honorable self, whose virtuous, ethics practice would leads that individual to be good, wholesome  both self-interest when appropriate and other-centered when necessary.