This list comes from a short course of 4 lectures
entitled "Reclaiming Egoism and Morality." It was originated by Dina
Schein Garmong and was presented, I think, in the summer of 2005.

#1: Selfishness is not everything a person does. A human being is
not selfish by nature nor is he hardwired for selfishness. Thomas
Hobbs originated this argument regarding selfishness. This position
is called "psychological egoism".

The premises underlying the error are based on a confusion. Ethical
egoism is purposeful action; reason is why an action is egoistic.

Because someone does something voluntarily does not mean that he is
acting egoistically. He may have done it out of duty. He may have
done it out of what was socially expected even though there was no
value nor pleasure in it.

The idea that people are hardwired for egoism is based on
determinism, the idea that volition does not exist – that people are
unable to make choices in the face of alternatives.

Also in this error, there is no objective standard for what
constitutes self-interest, thus egoism = subjectivism in this view.

Finally, it entails a logical fallacy. It begs the question. Any
example you give those that advocate this gets twisted around to be
shown as selfish. It's arbitrary and thus no way to disprove this
theory.

#2: Selfishness is not easy and natural and what one wants to do.
Being an egoist is not effortless.

People who think that being selfish is easy say that "What's
difficult is limiting yourself and sacrificing for other people.
Being selfish is easy as pie." The philosopher originating this
error was Immanuel Kant. He said, "If you look closer at our
thoughts and aspirations, you come everywhere upon the dear Self,
which is always salient, and it is this instead of the stern command
to duty, which often requires self-denial, which supports our plan."

Ethical Egoism is not automatic. The body has many natural
processes – like breathing, digesting food, etc. – but these are not
selfish. Egoism, i.e. self-interest/altruism, i.e. other-interest
only arises at the volitional level. Egoism is the pursuit of self-
interest by choice.

It is not true that you always know what is beneficial for yourself.
It is often difficult to know what, down the road, is best for you.
Morality is to be gauged over the length of life. It takes real
skill to pursue one's interest. It is a supreme compliment to be
said that you are selfish. It is a real achievement. Few have this
ability.

Error #3: Egoism is not the same thing as desire satisfaction.
Egoism is not hedonism, the doctrine to maximize one's pleasure.
The Sophists originated this error.

Hedonism means that one does what he feel like regardless of the
consequences. Values actually depend on the standard you have.
Ethical egoism is based on an objective standard of value, namely
your human life. You have to find out what your interests actually
are. There is no built in egoistic compass. Pursuing one's
interests is not automatic. Egoism = pursuing self-interest by
choice over the long run which then includes the short run interests.

The premises underlying the error is the lack of an objective
standard as to what constitutes self-interest. Also, egoism is not
desire satisfaction, not automatic and not effortless.

This error causes conflicts of interest. If everyone is acting to
satisfy their desires, then conflicts naturally occur. I want to
watch TV with the sound up so I can easily hear it and you want to go
to bed in the next room. There is no way to resolve this issue if
hedonism is the means. Hedonism lacks content. It has no standard
of value so it must be parasitical on other value theories.

#4: An egoist's life DOES NOT revolve around the acquisition of
wealth. David Hume originated this one. He thought that an egoist
had no friends and doesn't care about other people. The root of this
error is that the human being is just a body and there are no needs
of consciousness. Consciousness is completely ignored.

The pursuit of self-interest means the pursuit of all the needs –
body and consciousness - material and spiritual

#5: An egoist is not indifferent to the lives of other people.
Basic decency is not a sacrifice for an egoist.

The truth is, only an egoist cares about the suffering of another
person. Because you love your life, you sympathize with another's
plight. It's the one who sacrifices his values that doesn't give a
damn about other people. The more you care about yourself the more
generous you are. America is the most selfish country on earth and
it is the most generous country on earth. This is not an error.
This is cause and effect.

Error #6: An egoist is not bereft of genuine friendships nor does he
only value others because they are useful to him. This error was
also initiated by Hume.

Again, the premises underlying this error is that there is no value
to consciousness. Only the body and the material is important.

Only to the extent that you are an egoist, can you have friendship
and profound relationships. Friendship provides something very
valuable that you cannot give yourself – psychological visibility.

Error #7: An egoist is not a predator. He does not satisfy himself
at other people's expense. He does not walk over corpses. The
sophists started this one.

The premises underlying this error is that man is an enemy of man.
Sacrifice is inevitable. The pursuit of one's self interest is
always at the expense of others.

An egoist understands that it is not in his interests to be a
predator. To be such sets up consequences which redound to undermine
any success he may be striving for.

So these are the seven things a virtuous selfish person or an ethical
egoist or a rationally self-interested person or a eudemonist is
not. To recap, he is

1. Not an egoist by nature nor is he hardwired for selfishness.
2. He is not someone for whom the practice of selfishness is
easy and effortless.
3. Not a hedonist.
4. Not a person whose life revolves around the acquisition of
wealth.
5. Not a person who is indifferent to the lives of other
people. Basic decency is not a sacrifice for an egoist.
6. Not a person bereft of genuine friendships nor does he only
values others because they are useful to him.
7. Not a predator who takes what he wants at other people's
expense.

What he is is a person who is lives his life rationally and makes
choices that serve all of his values over the whole of his life.
This is a commitment that is not easy. It requires dedication. The
result is a real achievement – a life lived consciously, directed at
the things that has one's life worth living.