The fundamental design of healthcare is to provide care for others. Through this, doctors, nurses, and other professionals work to provide care and support for individuals in need. The caregiving role is taxing on the caregiver because they are putting the needs of others above their own. But through this, the caregiver receives praise and a sense of fulfillment. This dynamic raises the question of whether inherent goodness exists within this practice, and whether complete reliance on a caregiver is ultimately beneficial for the patient. There is a fine line to navigate in the healthcare system that balances the theories of Subjectivism and Egoism. If the caregiver waits on the patient's every need, the patient becomes reliant on a person and loses the willpower to perform daily tasks themselves, while the caregiver also loses the ability of self-care and their own identity. Ethical Subjectivism argues that right or wrong is based on an individual's feelings or attitudes toward a situation, rather than any universal moral law (Alvaro, 2023). Furthermore, Psychological Egoism suggests that human actions are fundamentally driven by self-interest (Slote, 1964). Together, these theories show how morality can become deeply personal, shaped by feelings, selfish needs, and differing lifestyle perspectives. In caregiving, where empathy and self-care must coexist, the feelings of Subjectivism and the self-interest of Egoism make morality a personal matter by both clarifying and complicating moral decision-making.

     If you ask a nurse why they enjoy their job, most say “I like to help people; it makes me feel good.” Subjectivism says that we follow moral guidelines because of the way we are feeling. Thus, nurses provide care because they feel better about themselves by doing so. This is where Psychological Egoism comes into play. When analyzed through this lens, healthcare incorporates elements of self-interest. Professionals are often motivated by reciprocal benefits; like any job, there is the extrinsic reward of financial compensation. However, specifically in healthcare, another significant benefit is the intrinsic, rewarding feeling of helpfulness. This complicates the nature of caregiving, suggesting that many actions seemingly done for others also contain an inherent benefit to the self. James Rachels uses an example in The Elements of Moral Philosophy of Abraham Lincoln helping a mother pig save her babies. Lincoln says that he's doing it for the benefit of his own peace of mind, not simply to save the piglets (2012). While evolutionary biology indicates a strong drive for self-preservation, humans also possess inherent drives toward cooperation and altruism. Therefore, navigating moral decisions requires evaluating the weight of personal feelings and self-interest alongside these broader cooperative factors.

     Moral decisions require both emotional understanding and rational boundaries. Altruism is seen in Subjectivism as the selfless concern for the well-being of others, without a care for one's own interest. This means they feel the need to give back to people, even when it can harm them. An example of this is burnout. In any field, when you are passionate, it can control your entire being. You feel the need to do everything possible to succeed, and can forget about the moral obligation to take care of yourself. True morality may require objectivity: the ability to recognize that feelings and self-interest are parts of moral reasoning, but not its whole being. Sometimes that can simply involve taking a deep breath or a walk around the block to clear the mind. Feelings can become overwhelming and can dictate decision-making negatively. Differentiating between facts and feelings becomes the true test of the correct moral decision.

Subjectivism and Egoism both make morality a personal matter through feelings, but ultimately, they reveal its complexity. Morality doesn’t have one clear answer. If it did, there wouldn’t be people working on new theories. The main takeaway from these theories is that feelings foster empathy, while self-interest ensures it doesn’t take over. Whether in healthcare or life, inherent moral guidance comes from a combination of compassion and responsibility in order to make the correct decision. The final answer to morality doesn’t lie in choosing between self or others, but in finding a balance between the two.