AXiTRUISm A term derived from the late Latin
Buddhism were
at one and the same time egoistic Self-obliteration in this life as-sures Self-realization beself realization in the other. ing, according to Buddhism, the mother of all evil, self -obliteration is the road to permanent hai)piness.
alkr
Altona Altruism
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
475
and
other"); dative, nltevi huir. contracted toiilli niir. It seems to liave been first used by Comte (1798-1857), to designate conduct impelled by motives utterly unselfish and inspired by the sole deItic
("tliis
rui;U
L.t ^.sK
l.l.MLit,UV
(From
ft
bring about the happiness of another without reganl to, or even at the expense of. one's own. As such it isopposcil to egoism. It slaiuls to reason that there is no c(|uivalcnt of it in ancient or nmilern Hebn-w. Till' very idea which it connntes, e.aggeralc<l is nnt iiidisjciiDUs tn .ludaism. An analysis of the basic idea of .Icwisli ethics will reveal the ri'Hson why. Both Altruism and itsconlmry, egoism, belling to ethical systems founiledon tliecducept of happiness as the id tiniate motive of conduct and the giimiiiiiiii Ih'iiiiiii. According as the happiness of the individual self or thai of the individualotherorothers is priiji'cted iiili> ilmninant im)iorlance, hedonistic ((<., happiness) ethics becomes either egoistic or allruistii-. . d even those systems, largely theological, that secMungly lijive harmonized Altruism with
self iiblilcnilinn.
this
by accenlualing
OK
ALiU.N.V.
pbotogTft)>h.)
sire to
egoism have done
altruistic.
that self ha])-
piness will only beattained through ciaiiluct leading to the increase or the establishment of the happiness of another. In this sense both the ethics of ('hrisliaidtv and
Buddhistic as well as Christian Altruism are thus founded on other-worldliness. which Ethics of in the Christian scheme liowers in the Christian- assnnmce of personal felicity in a higher state, wlu'rcas in that of Budity and
Buddhism,
dhisin it i)roinis<>s release from all evil of self-existence in the blissful and hajipy Nirvana. Tli(> non -theological systems of ethics, almost without exception, have failed to establish a higher harmony between egoism and Altruism. In the more recent writings on evolutionary ethics the school Cpon of Herbert Spencer the endeavor is made. psvchological grounds it is maintained that every altruistic act is, if not in its motives, always in its Maternal love, for example, leads to elTects egoistic. the happiness of the mollur through her own selfThe pre-Spencerian (hedonistic) schools sacrili<e. have posili'd either self or thi' othiT as the fountainhead of moral conduct. Comti' virtually reverted to the fundamental thought of the Knglish moralists
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