Abstract

This chapter will be first suggesting one possible way to clarify the distinction between greed and self-interest by defining greed normatively, focusing on certain acts and behaviors in our own socioeconomic context result in acquiring or maintaining more of a given good than one’s fair share at the expense of others’ needs. With this working definition in hand, I will then argue that in instances where we claim some good consequence has come from greed, we have reason to question who benefits from these consequences and who loses out. Despite the benefits enjoyed by some, if these benefits require many others to lose out than we should not so readily concede that greed is good.