Overview

Altruism is the principle and moral practice of concern for the happiness of other human beings or other animals, resulting in a quality of life both material and spiritual.

Core Idea

The core idea is selflessness. Acting for the benefit of others, even at a cost to oneself.

Formal Definition

  • Psychological Altruism: The motivation to increase another’s welfare as an end in itself.
  • Biological Altruism: Behavior that increases the fitness of another individual while decreasing the fitness of the actor.

Intuition

  • The Soldier: Jumping on a grenade to save comrades.
  • The Donor: Giving a kidney to a stranger.
  • Everyday Kindness: Holding the door, tipping, helping a lost tourist.

Examples

  • Effective Altruism: (See Consequentialism). Using evidence to do the most good possible.
  • Kin Selection: In biology, animals help their relatives because they share genes (explaining “altruism” via selfish genes).

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: True altruism doesn’t exist (Psychological Egoism).
    • Correction: (See Egoism). Most philosophers and psychologists agree that genuine concern for others is possible.
  • Misconception: Altruism means being a doormat.
    • Correction: You can care for others while also caring for yourself (self-care is not necessarily selfish).
  • Egoism: The opposite.
  • Supererogation: Acts that are good to do but not required (heroic altruism).
  • Empathy: The emotional capacity that often drives altruism.

Applications

  • Charity: The entire non-profit sector relies on altruism.
  • Blood Donation: A classic example of institutionalized altruism.

Criticism and Limitations

  • Pathological Altruism: Helping that hurts (e.g., enabling an addict, or “white knight” complexes).
  • Rand’s Critique: Ayn Rand argued altruism is a morality of death because it demands you sacrifice your own life/values.

Further Reading

  • The Most Good You Can Do by Peter Singer
  • The Evolution of Cooperation by Robert Axelrod
  • Altruism by Matthieu Ricard