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Position:Home>Philosophy> Some say there is no such thing as an altruistic act but?Question: Some say there is no such thing as an altruistic act but!? certainly we are driven by our feelings, some things feel good like helping the proverbial old lady across the street!. But, can't one act altruistically toward one's self while acting altruistically toward someone else!? Is that somehow less important or even sinful, than if someone else acts altruistically toward that person!?
I am Buddhist and personally don't ascribe to the idea of sin, but some do so I wanted to ask their opinion as well!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Altruism for it's own sake is an age old question!. I suppose, since the purpose or meaning of altruism is to do good things without concern for reward at first glance makes it seem impossible, but you raise a good point!. Is an altruistic act toward yourself any less altruistic that an altruistic act by another to you!? I do not think so!. Any person is equally deserving of altruism and if giving it to another person also gives it to yourself, then that is valuable and also encourages us to continue the behavior!. _()_Www@QuestionHome@Com The original meaning of "altruism" as devised by Comte is "self-abnegation," which he intetended to be put to use in the service of the Catholic Church!. I don't recommend self-abnegation!. But if you disregard the original meaning, you can give it just about any meaning you want, except to ignore that it is supposed to mean "without concern for yourself!." Without self-abnegation, having no concern for yourself is impossible!. And why do it on a case by case basis!? The purpose of human action is make oneself feel good as regards one's own ethical behavior!. So if I help the old lady across the street and it's no skin off my ***, I feel good AND I've helped someone!. People who act in self-abnegation do not feel good about the world they live in because they are not allowed to feel good about themselves!. So we should all drop the pretense that we do things for others "without any concern at all for ourselves," and recognize that we want to feel good helping others--and we deserve to feel good doing it!. That is called rational egoism!.Www@QuestionHome@Com You can't exactly act altruistically toward your self; in fact, by definition, altruism is acting for the welfare of others without expecting a reward!. Is it somehow less 'important' or less 'good' if you are benefiting from something too!? No, if anything it is 'better'!.!. Suppose I built a pool outside my house and I offered to share it!. Is that worse than giving it away!? Whenever I buy something, am I obliged to give it away!?!? I'd say "no!."Www@QuestionHome@Com I think that the term 'altruism' refers to engaging in acts of selflessness!. So in a sense, if we're doing something altruistic for ourself, it would be contradicting!. I don't affiliate myself to any set of religions, though I do tend to fair with Buddhist philosophy, I think that sin exists if we intentionally do something that hurts others while we benefit ourselves!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Altruism toward one's self is simply a self centered act of thinking only of your own wellfare, not the wellfare of others!. Altruism toward one's self is simply a selfish sin!. Buddism is a false religion authored by Satan to mislead people and show them the way to eternal hell!. True Christianity is authored by God Himself to guide people, through His son Jesus, into eternal bliss in God's heaven!.Www@QuestionHome@Com one of the hardest things to deconstruct is the argument of alturisim!. the alturisim argument is solid on the ground that any good act will bring slight satisfaction to the rational actor and if we do not see on the surface then alturist ask to dig deeper to find the satisfaction!. the best way to attack this is by presenting the ultimate case of selfishness which is the idea of being hooked up to the "pleasure machine!." the pleasure machien when hooked up to it will bring nothing but satisfaction and with it anyone connected to it could be in a state of contentment!. if giving the option of being hooked up the pleasure machine for their whole life, meaning living a life of nothng but pleasure, most humans say no!. this proves that pleasure and pain are not the only thng that drive us!. alturism proves to be a diffcult arguemnt because the argument ask us to dig deep within ourselves to find what we dont understand and if we dont see it, its because we arent smart enough to see it!. so in order to undestand this we must attack the argument itself and see that this more of a loaded argument!. this is just like the argument of god and goodness!. is god good or is what is good god!. meaning that is what god says good because he says so or because it is good making it what god wants!. or is being good what god looks for!.Www@QuestionHome@Com if you do something for beauty!? or something from your heart!? than you know it! it is not she art! it is he art! thats why you are the merchant Adolf hitler and not the poet william shakespeare!Www@QuestionHome@Com |