Final answer:
Ayn Rand's Objectivism advocates for rational egoism where pursuing one's own rational self-interest is deemed morally correct, sharing Aristotle's belief in rationality but differing on its ethical purpose, with Rand emphasizing individualism over communal flourishing. Rand's rational egoism suggests that it is always moral to pursue one's self-interest and that conflicts should be resolved through 'creative middle ways'.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ayn Rand's philosophy, known as Objectivism, integrates ethical egoism with her broader metaphysical, epistemological, and political views. One of the fundamental aspects of Objectivism is that it posits the pursuit of one's rational self-interest as morally correct—this is what Rand means by rational egoism.
Ayn Rand agreed with Aristotle's emphasis on rationality in human life but diverged sharply when it came to the ethical purpose of that rationality. While Aristotle endorsed eudaimonia—often translated as flourishing or well-being—as an ethical goal grounded in the cultivation of virtues, Rand's rational egoism positions an individual's life and happiness as the ultimate moral purpose. In contrast to a more communal sense of flourishing espoused by Aristotle, Rand emphasizes individualism.
Rand's rational egoism is rooted in the idea that it is always rational—and thus morally imperative—to aim at one's own greatest good. This concept can be nuanced with strong ethical egoism and weak ethical egoism, addressing whether it is sometimes permissible not to act in one's self-interest. A potential objection to Rand's approach rests on how it could be abused without established criteria for what counts as an agent's interests. Without such criteria, there is a risk of conflict between agents, necessitating the creation of 'creative middle ways' to resolve such issues.