Altruism Is Important in Society - 1250 Words

Knowing and Knowledge 1 ACX1001 Semester 1 2009 Longer Essay: Why is kindness or altruism important for society? Roselyn Weereratne Student: 3801157 Tutor: Joyce Tute: 17:30 Monday Why is kindness or altruism important for society? Altruism may be defined as a basic selfless attitude that may attribute to those providing initial intervention (Ronel, 2006). For a society or community to thrive, prosper and grow minimum expectations must exist for the individuals of that community to be happy. Rules and laws are in place to govern the ways in which we should act socially, ethically and morally. Among such principles is an expectation to be fair and kind to those around oneself, as you yourself would like to be†¦show more content†¦In other words although kindness is important to society, I might not be able to help if the provider doesn’t benefit in one-way or another or if it costs me too much. As Guagnano, Stern, and Dietz (1995) interpret the Schwartz model, for a person to act altruistically, the person must be aware of negative consequences and also must attribute some responsibility to take appropriate action to persons like himself or herself. When people hold both these beliefs, theyShow MoreRelatedAltruism Of Society : Altruism1074 Words   |  5 PagesUISM IN SOCIETY 1 Altruism in Society Alicia Carnicelli University of Phoenix PSY 490 Stephanie Townes ALTRUISM IN SOCIETY 2 As per many of the responsibilities that surround my job description as a Caseworker, I administer a monthly teen group for adolescent girls that are at risk. These young ladies come from a host of environments that encase circumstances surrounding physical and/or sexual abuse, drug addiction, and other scenarios. As is customary with this demographicRead More The Causes of Altruism Essay1152 Words   |  5 Pagescalled altruism by psychologists. Through this feeling, humans transform from a selfish jerk to a more compassionate and caring person. Some psychologists believe that this feeling stems from nature itself. Despite the fact that some altruistic acts originate from the pressures of society, altruism predominantly comes from the survival of the fittest, the feeling of empathy, and the selfish desire to benefit your own kin. Before a case can be made for the causes of altruism, altruism itself mustRead MoreEssay on Altruism1083 Words   |  5 PagesWhy do we show altruism? Social and evolutionary biologists, psychologists, economists and philosophers alike have made many attempts at providing an explanation for altruism. As a result, many opposing theories have developed over the years. In this essay, I will attempt to explain altruism as the presence of an altruistic gene which is selected for by natural selection in terms of kin selection. I will explore evidence supporting this theory, as well as evidence pointing to psychological explanationsRead MoreAltruism Is Good Or Good?1165 Words   |  5 Pages Altruism is defined as the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others. Why would someone think that certain actions are moral? There are two answers. First, altruism is naturally positive but on the contrary there are situations that decisions are made with morally bad tendencies and motivations, in circumstantial selfishness. Secondly, altruism is good because of its affirmative effects. The outcome of altruism does not only effect the person to whom theRead MoreAltruism: The Illusion of Self-Interest Essay1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe behavior of altruism in an individual is when it brings more costs than benefits for the benefit of another individual. Altruism comes from the Latin word Alter which means the others. This translation of alturism describes it relatively well. 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According to Comte altruism, can be used as the basis of judgingRead MoreAltruism, By Charles Darwin1463 Words   |  6 PagesAltruism is the practice of selfless concern for the well-being of others, or the behavior of an animal that benefits another at its own expense. Evidence shows that the act of altruism is unique in the world of animals. The interaction between those who are selfish and those who are altruistic is vital to human cooperation. A small group of altruistic people can give enough motivation to a large number of egotistical to move a mountain. Just as a large number of selfish people could push a smallRead MoreAn Argument Against The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand780 Words   |  3 Pagesof Selfishness Ayn Rand argues that self-interest is the norm of ethics. Perhaps the strongest argument Rand gives for this claim relies on the argument that it is up to every individual to decide what values his or her life needs. Since it is important to know what morals one should have, or if one should even have any. In this paper I will argue that this argument fails because a self-interested person will belittle the interests of others for their own good, therefore damaging the relationshipRead MoreSelfish Relations : An Evolutionary Explanation Of Altruistic Behaviors1528 Words   |  7 Pagesbenefits. This idea can be supported by examples of reciprocity, altruistic punishment, and Malthusianism. This discourse will also discuss whether â€Å"true altruism† exists, and that if cooperation is to be associated with altruistic behavior then the only explanatory model possible for its emergence is via group sel ection, which indicates that altruism is an insipidly evolved trait. There are very clear benefits to cooperative behavior, especially for exceptionally social species like humans. SelfishRead MoreAltruism Versus Morality : What Truly Matters When It Is911 Words   |  4 PagesAltruism Versus Morality: What Truly Matters When It Comes to Organ Donation? In Sally Satel s â€Å"When Altruism Isn t Moral† discusses the problem with the outrageous expectation the healthcare system has for organ donation and reception. Satel says â€Å"it is lethally obvious that altruism is not a valid basis for transplant policy. If we keep thinking of organs solely as gifts, there will never be enough of them.† I agree with Satel; the social requirements that a donor has to meet before being able