altruismi

Altruismi (altruism) is the act or disposition of prioritizing others’ welfare over one’s own. The term traces to the French altruisme, coined in the 19th century by Auguste Comte to describe selfless concern for others. In psychology and biology, altruism covers behaviors intended to benefit others, sometimes at a cost to the actor.

From biology, altruism is studied through kin selection and inclusive fitness, where individuals may pass on genes by helping relatives. Hamilton's rule states that an altruistic act is favored when the genetic relatedness multiplies the benefit to the recipient exceeds the cost to the actor (rB > C). Reciprocal altruism explains helping others with the expectation of future help.

In humans, altruism is often motivated by empathy, moral norms, and concerns about reputation or reciprocity. Prosocial behavior includes charitable giving, volunteering, or helping strangers. Cultural and institutional contexts can encourage or discourage such acts, and prosocial behavior may also be driven by self-interest, social rewards, or internal satisfaction.

Empirical research uses experiments and observational studies to examine altruism across species and societies. Notable findings include occasional selfless helping in animals and varying levels of charitable giving and volunteering among humans. Critics argue that what appears altruistic may be driven by indirect self-interest or social desirability.

Debates continue over whether true, costless altruism exists or whether all helping derives some personal payoff. The discussion spans ethics, psychology, and evolutionary biology, and informs practical questions about philanthropy, public policy, and the design of institutions that encourage cooperative behavior.