Altruism (ethics)
In
"An action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable to everyone except the agent."
Overview
The word "altruism" (
[The] social point of view cannot tolerate the notion of rights, for such notion rests on individualism. We are born under a load of obligations of every kind, to our predecessors, to our successors, to our contemporaries. After our birth these obligations increase or accumulate, for it is some time before we can return any service.... This ["to live for others"], the definitive formula of human morality, gives a direct sanction exclusively to our instincts of benevolence, the common source of happiness and duty. [Man must serve] Humanity, whose we are entirely.
The Catholic Encyclopedia says that for Comte's altruism, "The first principle of morality... is the regulative supremacy of social sympathy over the self-regarding instincts."[3] Author Gabriel Moran, (professor in the department of Humanities and the Social Sciences, New York University) says "The law and duty of life in altruism [for Comte] was summed up in the phrase: Live for others."[4]
Various
As consequentialist ethics
Altruism is often seen as a form of consequentialism, as it indicates that an action is ethically right if it brings good consequences to others.[7] Altruism may be seen as similar to utilitarianism, however an essential difference is that the latter prescribes acts that maximize good consequences for all of society, while altruism prescribes maximizing good consequences for everyone except the actor. Herbert Spencer argued that since the rest of society will almost always outnumber the utilitarian, a genuine utilitarian will inevitably end up practicing altruism or a form of altruism.[8] Effective altruism is a philosophy and social movement that maintains that the consequences of our actions — for ourselves and others — are important, and seeks to maximise the overall quality of these consequences.
Criticisms
Norwegian eco-philosopher Arne Næss argues that environmental action based upon altruism — or service of the other — stems from a shrunken "egoic" concept of the self. Self-actualization will result, he argues, in the recovery of an "ecological self", in which actions formerly seen as altruistic are in reality a form of enlightened self-interest.[10]
German philosopher Max Scheler distinguishes two different ways in which the strong can help the weak, one which is an expression of love, "motivated by a powerful feeling of security, strength, and inner salvation, of the invincible fullness of one’s own life and existence"[11] and another which is merely "one of the many modern substitutes for love, ... nothing but the urge to turn away from oneself and to lose oneself in other people’s business."[12] At its worst, Scheler says, "love for the small, the poor, the weak, and the oppressed is really disguised hatred, repressed envy, an impulse to detract, etc., directed against the opposite phenomena: wealth, strength, power, largesse."[13]
See also
References
- ^ "Ethics | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy". www.iep.utm.edu.
- ^ Comte, August (1852). Catéchisme positiviste (in French). or Comte, August (1891). Catechism of Positivism. Translated by Congreve, R. London: Kegan Paul.
- ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Altruism". www.newadvent.org.
- ^ Gabriel Moran Christian Religion and National Interests
- ^ Cheney, D. R. (Editor), Broad's critical essays in moral philosophy (pp. 283–301). London: Allen & Unwin.
- ^ Self and Others: A Defense of Altruism Philosophical Quarterly 4 (1954): pp 109–110.
- ^ "Altruism". Ethics Unwrapped. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ^ Spencer, Herbert Principles of Ethics (1887) §85ff
- ^ Kelley, David (11 June 2010). "Epistemology and Politics: Ayn Rand's Cultural Commentary". www.atlassociety.org. The Atlas Society. Retrieved 2023-01-08.
- ^ Seed, John, Macy, Joanna, Naess, Arne, & Fleming, Pat (1988). "Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings" (New Society Press)
- ^ Scheler, Max (1961). Ressentiment. pp. 88–89.
- ^ Scheler, Max (1961). Ressentiment. pp. 95–96.
- ^ Scheler, Max (1961). Ressentiment. pp. 96–97.