WHY ACT FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD - 4 ANSWERS

A conceptual analysis is offered that differentiates four motives for acting for the public good, egoism, collectivism, altruism, and princi plism. Differentiation is based on identification of a unique ultimate goal for each motive. For egoism, the ultimate goal is self-benefit; for collectivism, it is to increase group welfare; for altruism, to in crease one or more other individuals' welfare; for principlism, to uph old one or more moral principles. Advocates claim that these last thre e motives cannot be reduced to egoism. Evidence for this claim is limi ted, however, especially for collectivism and principlism. It is hoped that the conceptual distinctions proposed will permit broader, more p recise empirical study of nonegoistic motives for acting for the publi c good.