We explain what altruism is, the origin of the term and what altruistic people are like. Also, what is biological altruism.
What is altruism?
Altruism is the disposition of some persons to do good to others, even at the expense of one's own welfare. That is to say, we call an altruist someone who cares about selflessly giving to others, without caring that by doing so he is sacrificing himself. Usually heroes, martyrs, and Samaritans are people from whom we expect a behaviour altruistic.
This term is a loan from the French language, in which the word was coined altruism in 1851, in the work of the French philosopher and sociologist Auguste Comte (1798-1857). It is composed of the French voices autri ("The others", "the neighbor") and the suffix -ismus ("Doctrine"), so that it can be understood as "the doctrine to watch over others ”. It is, therefore, the antonym of selfishness.
In the philosophical realm, there is debate as to whether altruism is natural in the human being, being a species whose success evolutionary process lies precisely in the ability to operate in groups and to watch over each other.
Some psychological positions affirm that yes, that from 18 months of age the human being tends to exhibit behaviors of this type. On the other hand, other schools of thought affirm the opposite: that the human being is selfish and that, therefore, he needs a process of education to instill in him the values of generosity and detachment.
We should not confuse this use of the word altruism with the one made of it in the field of biology, as discussed below.
Altruistic people
Altruistic people are those who show a lot of empathy, generosity and a great willingness to help the other without receiving anything in return, and even sacrificing part of their well-being in the process. Thus, they are examples of altruism:
- Volunteers who dedicate time, effort and money of their own to care for those afflicted by misfortune, such as homeless people or survivors of some natural tragedy.
- Voluntary blood donors, who receive no payment or satisfaction in return than to help replenish a hospital's reserves.
- The nurses and doctors caring for the war-wounded, exposing their own lives in the process.
- Philanthropists and patrons of the arts and non-profit social initiatives, who dedicate part of their wealth to the collective welfare.
Biological altruism
In biology, altruism is known as the behaviors of individuals (mostly animals) that improve the biological efficiency of another, despite reducing their own.
That is, a behavior in which a living being makes it easier for another or others to survive, despite putting himself or herself in risk or obligation, and often of not gaining anything by doing it. However, these biological dynamics are not seen from a moral point of view, and the animal does not usually have the intention of "doing good", far from it.
Biological altruism can be of three types:
- Forced altruism, when the individual suffers a direct and permanent loss of his biological aptitudes, in exchange for an indirect gain. For example, a bee that dies when stinging an intruder, but in return defends the hive and guarantees the survival of its genetic relatives.
- Facultative altruism, when the individual suffers a direct and temporary loss of his biological aptitudes, in exchange for an indirect gain with a reproductive potential. For example, certain birds help their parents to take care of their nest free of charge, but when they die they inherit their territory.
- Reciprocal altruism, when the individual suffers a direct and temporary loss of his biological aptitudes, in exchange for an indirect gain but with the expectation of receiving the same benefit later. For example, monkeys delouse each other, always with the expectation of later being deloused by their fellows, thus benefiting each other.