[Serious] An Argument For Ethical Egoism

[vulcanlogician]

Many of we marginally rational people think exactly that.  There is no ought-can rule.

Most of us will seek to improve either our abilities or our situation seeking to fulfill those obligations that may be beyond us, and in the end..they may well prove to be - but it doesn't genuinely diminish the obligation, even if it provides us with some desert modification for failure.

Then, Gae, you ought to use fairy magic to cure HIV/AIDS in sub saharan Africa.

In a perfect world, you could cure HIV with the snap of a finger. But aiming to do so would be a dereliction of one's real moral duty... which (realistically) might be something like contributing to the wellbeing of children in sub saharan Africa via charity -OR- contributing to efforts that seek a cure to HIV/AIDS.

It makes much more sense to have oughts that are also cans.