Egoism and Profit-Seeking

The modern prototype of an Egoist principle is Hobbes' Self-Preservation, which, grounding behavior that aims at remaining alive, is inadequate as a basis for Profit-Seeking for its own sake, i. e. when not a means to survival. In order to explain the latter, what might be called a 'Will to Increase' is necessary, though its incorporation into the Capitalistic Egoism that presupposes it seems problematic. For, insofar as such a drive is indistinguishable from Greed, which Aristotle shows is a psychological disorder, it is not necessarily beneficial to the Self. Furthermore, Increase from Greed often comes at the expense of a Decrease of another, thereby reducing Smith's project of an increase in general Wealth to a zero-sum system. Finally, a Will to Increase can develop into Self-Transcendence, entailing a dissolution of the Self, which is antithetical to Egoism. So, the motivational principle of a fundamental dynamic in Capitalism remains underived, and, perhaps, underivable, from Egoism.