What is altruism?
Q: What is altruism?
A: Altruism is a concern for the well-being of others. It involves sacrificing something, such as time or possessions, without expecting anything in return.
Q: How does altruism differ from acts done out of responsibility or obligation?
A: Altruism is different from acts done out of responsibility, loyalty or moral obligation towards a specific individual (such as a god, a king or a government). These kinds of acts are usually motivated by an expectation of reward or benefit.
Q: Who coined the term "altruism"?
A: The French philosopher Auguste Comte coined the term "altruism" in French (altruisme) as an antonym for egoism.
Q: What does Steinberg suggest as a definition for altruism?
A: Steinberg suggests that altruism is defined as intentional and voluntary actions that aim to enhance the welfare of another person without any expectation of external rewards.
Q: What is the opposite of altruism?
A: The opposite of altruism is spite; this involves harming another with no self-benefit.
Q: In what ways has altruism been studied?
A: Altruism has been studied in philosophy and ethics, psychology (especially evolutionary psychology), evolutionary biology and ethology. Each field has developed its own ideas about what constitutes true altruistic behavior.
Q: Is it possible to do something completely selfless? A: Whether "pure" altruistic behavior can exist has been debated by scholars for thousands of years; some believe that no act can be described as truly selfless because the person will always receive personal gratification from it (in terms of feeling satisfied they have done something good).
