Technically, "ought" and "should" are not the same. Should implies the natural course of things, while ought is a normative claim. Unfortunately, we've let our language get blurry and we often interchange them.
I will say that I think altruism has a real grounding. The problem when you start asking about why something is right, you get to the point where you find there's very little absolute truth and no fundamental ground for ideas like "rights". (Although Rand accepted certain rights, such as property rights, mysteriously.) This invites hihilism in. I, in many ways, accept nihilism as a necessity.
However, I think if we define moral along the lines of what is in the best interest of ourselves, of society and of others, altrusism is the best option. We understand helping others -- or at least not harming them -- brings a sense of secrity to ourselves. Does this mean we're ultimately doing something to protect ourselves? I don't think so. I think it means we understand the best and most happy world is one that strives for unity and not divisiveness.
I don't know what happens if you act with malevolence to help someone else. It would have to be viewed i na grander sense to see if it was the right choice, I imagine.
I don't buy Rand as being "amoral". She spends a fair amount of time making moral claims or claims about other people's morality. To have such a vested interest in what (she thinks) is rigght or wrong clearly lands you on either a moral or immoral side. Some would say she's quite moral. But as she pushes the view, basically, that "might makes right" (good old Thrasymachus from the Platonic dialogues raises his head!) it's a hard doctrien to justify on any of the traditional grounds. We'd have to accept "moral" to mean "in our interest, but not in the greater good" which is hard to believe is a truly good motive.
no subject
I will say that I think altruism has a real grounding. The problem when you start asking about why something is right, you get to the point where you find there's very little absolute truth and no fundamental ground for ideas like "rights". (Although Rand accepted certain rights, such as property rights, mysteriously.) This invites hihilism in. I, in many ways, accept nihilism as a necessity.
However, I think if we define moral along the lines of what is in the best interest of ourselves, of society and of others, altrusism is the best option. We understand helping others -- or at least not harming them -- brings a sense of secrity to ourselves. Does this mean we're ultimately doing something to protect ourselves? I don't think so. I think it means we understand the best and most happy world is one that strives for unity and not divisiveness.
I don't know what happens if you act with malevolence to help someone else. It would have to be viewed i na grander sense to see if it was the right choice, I imagine.
I don't buy Rand as being "amoral". She spends a fair amount of time making moral claims or claims about other people's morality. To have such a vested interest in what (she thinks) is rigght or wrong clearly lands you on either a moral or immoral side. Some would say she's quite moral. But as she pushes the view, basically, that "might makes right" (good old Thrasymachus from the Platonic dialogues raises his head!) it's a hard doctrien to justify on any of the traditional grounds. We'd have to accept "moral" to mean "in our interest, but not in the greater good" which is hard to believe is a truly good motive.