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Re: Altruism

Elliot wrote:

When it comes down to it, to be truly altruistic an action cannot benefit me. It means doing things I have no incentive to do

But isn't it worse than that? If you think that an action is morally right, then (unless you are for some reason psychologically conflicted or irrational about it) you will choose to do it. In which case it does benefit you in the sense that counts: according to your own values. Hence an action taken wholeheartedly and in the belief that it is morally right, can never be altruistic. And I suppose that is the reason that altruism is basically immoral. (Though I would not go so far as to say it always is.)

by David Deutsch on Mon, 04/23/2007 - 23:48

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