Altruism

Altruism is either a practice or habit (in the view of many, a virtue) as well as an ethical doctrine. In Buddhism it can also be seen as a fundamental property of (human) nature.

Related Topics:
Virtue - Ethical doctrine

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Altruism can refer to:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• being helpful to other people with little or no interest in being rewarded for one's efforts (the colloquial definition). This is distinct from merely helping others.
• actions that benefit others with a net detrimental or neutral effect on the actor, regardless of the actor's own psychology, motivation, or the cause of her actions. This type of altruistic behavior is referred to in ecology as Commensalism.
• an ethical doctrine that holds that individuals have a moral obligation to help others, if necessary to the exclusion of one's own interest or benefit. One who holds such a doctrine is known as an "altruist."

The concepts have a long history in philosophical and ethical thought, and have more recently become a topic for psychologists, sociologists, evolutionary biologists, and ethologists. While ideas about altruism from one field can have an impact on the other fields, the different methods and focuses of these fields lead to different perspectives on altruism.

Related Topics:
Philosophical - Ethical - Psychologists - Sociologists - Evolution - Ethologists

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 
Altruism: Altruism in philosophy and ethics ►