The human race has debated over the differences between altruism and egoism for centuries, some debates have even lead to the creation of religions, cultural norms and taboos all over the world. The common good ... . As defined by Merriam-Webster, altruism is the "feeling and behavior that shows a desire to help other people as well as a lack of selfishness "1 while egoism is defined as "a doctrine that individual self-interest is the actual motive of all conscious action "2. While each of these lifestyle's can have negative results if followed ... others than they do for themselves. Kant's...

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• Approx Pages: 7
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... ? The Notion of Altruism Several debates and studies exist as to whether it is possible to have true altruistic people in real life situation. According to the theory of psychological egoism, no act of sharing, sacrificing, or helping can be referred to as true altruistic (Vander, 2008). This is because the actor may receive an intrinsic reward in return, which can ... be in the form of personal fulfillment. However, the truth in such argument depends on whether the said intrinsic reward qualifies as a benefit. According an ethical doctrine, the term altruism may be used to refer to the ...

• Word Count: 1376
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate