Objectivism vs Utilitarianism

[Pujah]

Objectivists are violently opposed to utilitarianism. I believe this is because of objectivism's emphasis on the rights of the individual. To an objectivist, each person should live for his own benefit. now i am no philosopher but th "survival of the fitest" comes to mind" here...Utilitarianism on the other hand takes into account not only the individual’s values but all individuals. Basically acting for the “greater good for the greatest numberâ€

 

now i have objections to objectivism and will show my reasoning later but nomads what is your take on this?

[Caveman]

Objectivism Vs utilitarianism....

Recently when Dubya invaded Iraq under the pretext of Utilitarianism it was his personal skewed values that overlooked the objection of virtually every country in world. I believe Utilitarianism acts on their own not because of their misleading statements like, doing “greater good for country or humanity†but its their perceived acknowledgement of having bigger killing toys or money then their opponents.

Dubya with out military power would have been an Objectivist zipping tea with Sadam in his Bunker, instead of initiating illegal war to invade him. The same goes in the elitist institutions, Social or economical spectrum, who ever holds influence or power is gona opt for Utilitarianism over Objectivism, its a human Weakness.

[SeeKer]

Originally posted by Ay Kutubeey:

Objectivists are violently opposed to utilitarianism. I believe this is because of objectivism's emphasis on the rights of the individual. To an objectivist, each person should live for his own benefit. now i am no philosopher but th "survival of the fitest" comes to mind" here...

Objectivism believes a man is an end in himself not an end of others. It might be a selfish way to put it but then again humans are inherently selfish. the philisophy centers itself around the fact that man exist for himself. His pursuit for his self interest is the major goal in his life. I also like the way it views capitalism it is unique. Not the way most western countries have made capitalism but with a nice twist. Trade in this philisophy occurs with mutual benefits without one taking the role of slave/master or a victim/executioner. Separation of state and economics is vital in Objectivism is vital in that State is only supposed to police economics and not fabricate laws that legalize monopoly.

 

I don't necessarily view it as a survival of the fittest merely as God bestowed upon each of us unique talents. If we were to use it then everyone would find a niche to rest their weary feet in this world.

[Animal Farm]

The mother of objectivism was an atheist, anticommunist and anti-left. Not being a capitalist, I’m somehow enchanted by Ayn Rand’s theory of objectivism. Its individual based somehow, I remember coming across an article in the Atlantic monthly, titled I believe ‘Ayn Rand goes to Somalia’ its was talking about the economics of Somalia I believe.

 

Nonetheless, here’s a summary of objectivism.

 

My [Ayn Rand] philosophy, Objectivism, holds that:

1. Reality exists as an objective absolute—facts are facts, independent of man's feelings, wishes, hopes or fears.

2. Reason (the faculty which identifies and integrates the material provided by man's senses) is man's only means of perceiving reality, his only source of knowledge, his only guide to action, and his basic means of survival.

3. Man—every man—is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life.

4. The ideal political-economic system is laissez-faire capitalism. It is a system where men deal with one another, not as victims and executioners, nor as masters and slaves, but as traders, by free, voluntary exchange to mutual benefit. It is a system where no man may obtain any values from others by resorting to physical force, and no man may initiate the use of physical force against others. The government acts only as a policeman that protects man's rights; it uses physical force only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use, such as criminals or foreign invaders. In a system of full capitalism, there should be (but, historically, has not yet been) a complete separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church.