AQUINO Journal of Philosophy

The altruistic debate was initiated by Auguste Comte and was defined as “living for others”. Here, morally right actions are those that the consequences are more favourable than unfavourbale to everyone except the actor. Actions are considered altruistic when they are motivated by the desire to benefit others other than oneself for that person's sake. Comte's altruism is what one might call absolute altruism which is completely against individual personality, self-worth and self-esteem. Though there are moderate arguments for altruism which can be called degenerate forms of altruism which permit certain altruistic actions to be motivated by self-interest, this paper argued using Alfred Schutz's definition of human action as motivated behaviour to show the impossibility of altruism as envisaged by Auguste Comte. The resercher proposed a redefinition of human values as reasoned behaviour if one is to accept absolute altruism of Comte. The paper concluded that human actions may be altruistic but motivated by egoistic concerns.

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