---
title: "Ethical Egoism: Definition, Types, UPSC GS4 | Model Diplomat"
description: "Ethical egoism asserts that moral agents should act in their own rational self-interest, a key concept for Model UN students and policy researchers."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/ethical-egoism"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Ethical egoism is the normative theory holding that moral agents ought to act in their own rational self-interest, making self-interest the criterion of right action.
- How does ethical egoism differ from psychological egoism?
- Why is ethical egoism relevant to UPSC GS4?
- What is the strongest objection to ethical egoism?
- Is rational self-interest the same as selfishness?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In 1964 Ayn Rand published The Virtue of Selfishness, defending rational self-interest as the proper moral purpose of one's life and giving ethical egoism its most influential popular formulation.

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