Altruism: Selfless or Selfish? "We are all here on earth to help others. What I can't figure out is what the others are here for." --W. H. Auden (1) Whether we are here to help others is a question I've often asked myself, and a question I will not be able to answer while I am still here on earth. Perhaps before I even consider that question, however, I should wonder whether we even can be here to help others: is selflessness really possible? Or is "altruism" merely doing things for others
One of these deeds is his offer to King Hrothgar, in which he proposes to slay Grendel. Beowulf states, "Single-handed I'll settle the strife!" In this statement, Beowulf is simply stating that he will kill this evil creature, Grendel. Another selfless act Beowulf states is that he will slay Grendel's mother. Beowulf declares, "And I give you pledge, She (Grendel's mother) shall not in safety escape to cover." Beowulf promises to see to it that Grendel's mother will be killed. After Beowulf
later, she gives birth to another son, Abel, who, unlike Cain, is very genuine, selfless and who can never think of hurting someone, let alone murdering him. When the two children grow up, Cain is a farmer, and Abel is a shepherd. They are both asked by their parents to give offerings to the Lord whenever possible, but only without any expectation or selfish desire in return. It is not possible for Cain to be so selfless and kind. One day, Cain brings some of his leftover harvest as an offering
the reader a moral, and children were continually urged to put others before themselves. Selfless Models One of the ways Our Young Folks gave its readers moral instructions was by setting examples. The magazine was packed with stories of selfless children who lived and died for others. Such characters were held up as models for how the young readers of the magazine should behave. One of these selfless stories is “My Heroine,” which is a poem about a young girl who dies while protecting her baby
Upon the reading of chapters 1-6 of the Great Scripture of Hinduism, The Bhagavad Gita (the 'Lord's Song';), I am completely and utterly fascinated. The story's emphasis on selfless acts, devotion, and meditation is like no other I have ever encountered before. Through the narration of Sanjaya and the conversation of Sri Krishna (Vishnu incarnate) and Prince Arjuna, the principles of Hinduism are eloquently illustrated. In this story, the Lord Vishnu, whose duty it is to protect the universe from
their father, lawyer Atticus Finch. As a wise role model to his town of Maycomb as well as his children, Atticus Finch becomes a prominently admirable character. As a father, lawyer, friend, and foe, Atticus Finch proves himself to be an honest, selfless, and courageous human being. Throughout many of the books main events, it is always clear that Atticus Finch holds true to his morals and beliefs despite all obstacles. After returning from reading to Mrs. Dubose, a morphine addict, with her
the only other countries to have legislation to allow Euthanasia. Many people travel to these places to conclude their life legally. Patients should be able to end their life in a painless environment with family and friends. These people are very selfless as well; their passing would allow these hospital beds to become available for patients who have a chance of recovering and living a normal life. The final choice is the...
they "grow wings and become angels. Mrs. Pontellier's use of words such as "minister", "angel" and "worship" must mean that she thinks of motherhood as a religion. While the description of these "mother-women" might imply that they are angelic and selfless, in reality their identity (and existence) depends upon their husband and children. They exist only in a familial context. Without their children they would be nothing. If their children are in no real danger, then the "mother-women" must imagine
time gaining more and more evil. As the play progresses, he loses his soul and humanity. Macbeth is introduces into the play as a brave and loyal servant. He feels respect for his king and is willing to risk his life for him. At this point he is selfless and good. He, himself, is proud of his service to his king. It is when he is confronted by evil that he begins to doubt the true worth of his loyalty. As he is given honors he begins to gain pride. As a servant, a man must feel loyalty and respect
determining what is good, we in turn determine what is evil. How do we know what they are; that is if they really exist? One must first try to define what good and evil are before attempting to question their existence. What is good? Is it the selfless act of a volunteer at a homeless shelter or an honest and truthful taxpaying citizen? Webster's dictionary defines good as being of favorable character, wholesome, and virtuous. (Merriam-Webster) "A good will is not good because of what it effects
court officials summon Elizabeth Proctor to find the truth. When asked about her husband, Elizabeth?s soul is twisted, for reporting the truth could destroy her husband?s reputation, but lying means breaking her solemn oath to God. Because she is selfless, Elizabeth chooses to lie and save her husband, but perhaps condemn herself to hell for such a sin. This scene indicates dramatic irony, for Proctor knows that which Elizabeth is not ... ... middle of paper ... ...his sin of adultery, for it
poem, shows the importance of the relationship between lord and thane and expresses the ultimate value of that connection. From the difference in battle scenes to Beowulf’s speeches, it is clear that he has gone from a somewhat self-loving hero to a selfless king. Within this change he also goes from serving a lord to becoming a lord, and in that way the poem shows us the importance of both sides of the relationship. Initially it is said that Beowulf goes to flight Grendel because, "he could not brook
the human nature. Inside every human being, there is a sense of selfishness that lay dormant until given cause to awake. It is a truth that many will not be willing to admit or acknowledge. Many will even say that there are people who are or were selfless in their actions. Yes, there are, but when the situation comes, normally no one can take away their selfishness to still act like “saints'; when they cannot even save themselves. Selfishness is an ugly trait among people; however, disloyalty
Heroism in Gilgamesh Heroism entails several things; a selfless act, courage, or the accomplishments of bold and daring expeditions. A hero can often be of divine ancestry. But every hero has faults and these faults along with heroic deeds make the man, or woman; a hero. Gilgamesh loved his friend Enkidu more than he loved himself. A phrase indicating this love for Enkidu is on page 35: "We must go down into the forest together./. . .I will go before you/And ... ... middle of paper
Comparison of Oedipus and Hamlet Compare and contrast Oedipus and Hamlet. Is Oedipus more a man of action? Or is he more a man driven by whim and sudden, rash decisions? Which character is more selfless? Does Hamlet show any signs of selfish motives in his actions or inactions? Which protagonist seems more learned? wiser? more religious? more loving? more incestuous? Which seems to be a better murder investigator? Does Oedipus have any of Claudius' motives when he kills the king, Laius? Then
he remains uninvolved in the hedonistic lifestyle. Jay Gatsby, the man who gives his name to the book, lives in an extraordinary estate adjacent to Nick, where he incessantly welcomes guests to sumptuous parties. Nick develops a fixation and a selfless devotion to Gatsby. Gatsby is a dreamer, absorbed by the past, and Nick reluctantly aids him in attempts to fulfill his ideal. The impractical illusions, in the end, destroy Gatsby and lead Nick to see the ultimate manifestation of corrupt American
Heroism in Beowulf A hero is one who is not only strong, but one who uses his strength to uphold others. A hero is humble, philanthropic, magnanimous and selfless, a humanitarian at best. In the unprecedented epic Beowulf, the tale’s namesake exemplifies every characteristic befitting an Anglo-Saxon hero. He is honest, loyal, and courageous. He portrays these characteristics in the battle against Grendel, the affray with Grendel’s mother, and the fight against the dragon that inevitably ended
Nicholas. Tolstoy even uses Sonya as a contrast to Princess Mary. Here, if one looks deeper, one will find that there is very little contrast at all between the two women. Most importantly, Sonya is an illustration of society's effects on a poor selfless young girl who puts her needs below those of all others. Tolstoy employs Sonya's character in a variety of situations. Without Sonya, a great deal of his novel's depth and richness would be lost. Sonya is first introduced as Count Rostov's fifteen-year-old
used by Steinbeck to reflect the major themes of the novel: loneliness, prejudice, the importance of companionship, the danger of devoted companionships, and the harshness of Californian ranch life. George’s relationship with Lennie has made him selfless; his conversations, with and with out Lennie, are generally revolving around Lennie, although in the case of their dream-ranch George seems to find fulfilment for himself as well. Due to these altruistic tendencies that he shows throughout the novel
account for altruism. We cover Hobbes’ theory with a theory of Varied Levels of Survivalism, explaining a larger body of behavior with the foundation Hobbes gives. Hume gives a scenario which does not directly prove fruitful, but he does capture selfless behavior. We will give Hobbes’ view of human nature as he describes it in Chapter 13 of Leviathan. We will then give an argument for placing a clarifying layer above the Hobbesian view in order to account for acts of altruism. Hobbes views