Altruistic Act
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An Altruistic Act is an agent act that represents an altruistic task (where the benefit is accrued to another agent).
- Context:
- It can range from being a Human Act of Altruism to a cross-species Animal Act of Altruism depending on the nature of the agent and recipient.
- It can range from being an Altruistic Volunteer Act to being a Lifesaving Sacrifice Act, based on the cost and risk to the performing agent.
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- It can vary in scale from minor acts of assistance (e.g., helping someone with a heavy load) to major life-altering actions (e.g., donating an organ).
- It can be attributed to Altruistic Tendencies, where the agent shows an inherent willingness to act for the benefit of others.
- It can reference an Altruistic Ideology, reflecting a broader moral or philosophical principle that encourages pro-social behaviors.
- It can span contexts such as family altruism, social altruism, and biological altruism, covering a diverse range of motives and outcomes.
- It can manifest in different types, including Kin Altruism, Reciprocal Altruism, and Pure Altruism, depending on whether there is an expectation of reciprocation.
- It can sometimes appear paradoxical in nature, such as in situations where the act reduces the agent's survival prospects, as seen in some animal behaviors.
- It can influence social cohesion and community strength, fostering greater trust and collaboration among individuals and groups.
- It can be shaped by factors like Empathy, Social Norms, and Cultural Expectations, varying widely across species and societies.
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- Example(s):
- a Young Child goes out of their way to help a dog get a toy that was beyond its reach, despite never having met the animal before and with little chance of the dog returning the favor.
- a Honeybee Altruism Act in which a worker bee stings a predator to protect the hive, sacrificing its own life in the process (in animal altruism).
- a Soldier’s Sacrifice Act where a soldier jumps on a grenade to protect fellow soldiers, showing a high-cost altruistic act in combat situations.
- an Organ Donation Act where a living person donates a kidney to save a stranger's life, without any form of monetary or social reward.
- a Baboon Alarm Call Act where a baboon makes a warning call to alert its troop of a predator's presence, risking its own safety to protect others.
- an Environmental Altruism Act where a volunteer diver removes harmful debris from a coral reef, benefiting marine life without any direct gain.
- a Reciprocal Altruism Act where a vampire bat shares its food with another unrelated bat, expecting that the favor might be returned in the future.
- a Kin Altruism Act where an older sibling takes care of younger siblings in the absence of parents, prioritizing familial welfare.
- a Blood Donation Act where an individual donates blood regularly to blood banks, helping save lives without expecting recognition.
- a Cross-Species Altruism Act where dolphins have been observed helping humans or other marine animals in distress.
- a Firefighter Rescue Act where a firefighter re-enters a burning building to save a trapped child, risking their own life.
- a Bystander Assistance Act where a passerby jumps into a river to save a stranger from drowning, demonstrating spontaneous altruism.
- a Medical Altruism Act where a doctor travels to remote regions to provide free medical care, motivated purely by humanitarian values.
- an Animal Altruism Act where a group of elephants helps rescue a baby elephant stuck in a mud pit, showcasing complex social behaviors in the animal kingdom.
- a Community Protection Act where local villagers risk their own safety to warn others of an impending natural disaster, prioritizing communal well-being.
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- Counter-Example(s):
- Egoistic Act, which is performed primarily to benefit oneself rather than others.
- Strategic Altruism, where the act is seemingly altruistic but is performed with the intention of gaining long-term benefits.
- Manipulative Altruism, where the act is used to create an obligation or manipulate the recipient into compliance.
- Transactional Altruism, where the act is carried out with an expectation of a direct exchange or reward.
- Spiteful Act, where harm is inflicted on others without benefiting oneself, which stands as the opposite of altruism.
- See: Quality of Life, Virtue, Selfishness, Loyalty, Psychological Egoism, Altruism (Ethics), Ethical Egoism.
References
2023
- "Altruism towards other species may have helped humans thrive, study finds.” In: The Guardian
- QUOTE: ... Children as young as two years old went out of their way to help dogs get toys and tasty treats that were placed beyond their reach, despite never having met the animals before, scientists found. The work suggests that toddlers could not only understand the dogs’ desires, but were willing and able to help them out, even though the chances of the dogs returning the favour were vanishingly small. ...