Rational Self-Interest and Moral Limits

Zera Yacob argued that reason itself guides us toward justice and ethical conduct, not merely toward maximum gain. Rational self-interest, properly understood through his Ethiopian philosophical tradition, means recognizing that unlimited wealth accumulation contradicts human dignity—both our own and others'. This concept applies directly to sufficiency by suggesting that 'enough' is determined not by desire or market forces, but by what reason and conscience permit. A rational person asks: how much wealth can I pursue while maintaining moral integrity and respecting the dignity of others? Yacob's emphasis on reason as a universal guide means sufficiency becomes a rational calculation, not a religious prohibition or arbitrary rule. This framework transforms the sufficiency question from deprivation into liberation: enough is what allows flourishing without moral compromise.