Shots Across The Bow

Altruism: Ideal or Cynical Self Deception?

Dr. Helen started it.

In my experience, most people are motivated by some sort of self-interest when they engage in an altruistic act. I used to have discussions with a psychoanalyst I knew who said, like Heinlein, that no one really does anything unless it is in their self-interest in some way.

Dr. Helen then goes on to cite an article in Reason that seems to demonstrate that we give capriciously, and not altruistically.

First of all, let's define our terms so we can ignore any claptrap about "reciprocal altruism" or "enlightened self interest."

Merriam Webster defines altruism as
1 : unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others
2 : behavior by an animal that is not beneficial to or may be harmful to itself but that benefits others of its species.

While I consider these definitions lacking (more on this in a moment) they suffice to make it clear to all, except of course for philosophers and evolutionary psychologists, that any action motivated by any self interest, whether direct or indirect, is not altruistic. Any expectation of reciprocity negates the altruistic motivation entirely. Just like being pregnant, you can't be a little bit altruistic.

Let's take a look at the study in Reason magazine.

In the experiment, 2 participants are chosen at random. One is given $10. He is instructed to take however much of the $10 he wants and put it into an envelope to be passed to the other participant. As you might expect, very few dollars got stuffed in envelopes. There is a very simple explanation for this; our capacity for giving must first be stimulated by an awareness of need. If we don't see a need, we aren't stimulated to give. Handing dollars around becomes a game, nothing more. There are several variations on the theme, but all suffer from the same flaw; there is no perceived need.

And this brings us to the flaw in Merriam Webster's definition. It neglects to specify a perceived need. A fuller definition of altruism would be: Placing the needs of others ahead of your own, without an expectation of reward or reciprocity.

Now that we have defined altruism, we can ask the question, "Do humans possess the capacity to act for pure altruism?

Most say no.

Let's look at the record.

• Corporal Dunham's squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in the town of Karabilah, Iraq, when they heard rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire erupt approximately two kilometers to the west. Corporal Dunham led his Combined Anti-Armor Team towards the engagement to provide fire support to their Battalion Commander's convoy, which had been ambushed as it was traveling to Camp Husaybah. As Corporal Dunham and his Marines advanced, they quickly began to receive enemy fire. Corporal Dunham ordered his squad to dismount their vehicles and led one of his fire teams on foot several blocks south of the ambushed convoy. Discovering seven Iraqi vehicles in a column attempting to depart, Corporal Dunham and his team stopped the vehicles to search them for weapons. As they approached the vehicles, an insurgent leaped out and attacked Corporal Dunham. Corporal Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade. Corporal Dunham immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat. Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In an ultimate and selfless act of bravery in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty, Corporal Dunham gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
• BAUSELL, LEWIS KENNETH Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 17 April 1924, Pulaski, Va. Accredited to: District of Columbia. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu Island, Palau Group, 15 September 1944. Valiantly placing himself at the head of his squad, Cpl. Bausell led the charge forward against a hostile pillbox which was covering a vital sector of the beach and, as the first to reach the emplacement, immediately started firing his automatic into the aperture while the remainder of his men closed in on the enemy. Swift to act, as a Japanese grenade was hurled into their midst, Cpl. Bausell threw himself on the deadly weapon, taking the full blast of the explosion and sacrificing his own life to save his men. His unwavering loyalty and inspiring courage reflect the highest credit upon Cpl. Bausell and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
• ALBANESE, LEWIS Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 5th Battalion (Airmobile), 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 1 December 1966. Entered service at: Seattle, Wash. Born: 27 April 1946, Venice, Italy. G.O. No.: 12, 3 April 1968. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Albanese's platoon, while advancing through densely covered terrain to establish a blocking position, received intense automatic weapons fire from close range. As other members maneuvered to assault the enemy position, Pfc. Albanese was ordered to provide security for the left flank of the platoon. Suddenly, the left flank received fire from enemy located in a well-concealed ditch. Realizing the imminent danger to his comrades from this fire, Pfc. Albanese fixed his bayonet and moved aggressively into the ditch. His action silenced the sniper fire, enabling the platoon to resume movement toward the main enemy position. As the platoon continued to advance, the sound of heavy firing emanated from the left flank from a pitched battle that ensued in the ditch which Pfc. Albanese had entered. The ditch was actually a well-organized complex of enemy defenses designed to bring devastating flanking fire on the forces attacking the main position. Pfc. Albanese, disregarding the danger to himself, advanced 100 meters along the trench and killed 6 of the snipers, who were armed with automatic weapons. Having exhausted his ammunition, Pfc. Albanese was mortally wounded when he engaged and killed 2 more enemy soldiers in fierce hand-to-hand combat. His unparalleled actions saved the lives of many members of his platoon who otherwise would have fallen to the sniper fire from the ditch, and enabled his platoon to successfully advance against an enemy force of overwhelming numerical superiority. Pfc. Albanese's extraordinary heroism and supreme dedication to his comrades were commensurate with the finest traditions of the military service and remain a tribute to himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

Now, you can tell yourself that these are all military men, that they were trained, some might even say brainwashed, to make sacrifices like this. In answer, I want you to take a closer look at the citations. They were awarded the Medal of Honor for actions "above and beyond the call of duty." Yes, soldiers are trained to fight and kill the enemy,and they are well aware of the fact that they may die, but that alone isn't enough to warrant the Medal of Honor. Their actions have to go further than that; their actions have to demonstrate a selflessness that goes beyond their training, deeper than any conditioning.

In every case, these men sacrificed their lives for the good of others, placing their own welfare beneath that of another man.

But it still might be conditioning, a reflex, rather than a rational choice.

Read this passage:

In my home town sixty years ago when I was a child, my mother and father used to take me and my brothers and sisters out to Swope Park on Sunday afternoons. It was a wonderful place for kids, with picnic grounds and lakes and a zoo. But a railroad line cut straight through it.

One Sunday afternoon a young married couple were crossing these tracks. She apparently did not watch her step, for she managed to catch her foot in the frog of a switch to a siding and could not pull it free. Her husband stopped to help her.

But try as they might they could not get her foot loose. While they were working at it, a tramp showed up,walking the ties. He joined the husband in trying to pull the young woman's foot loose. No luck---

Out of sight around the curve a train whistled. Perhaps there would have been time to run and flag it down, perhaps not. In any case, both men went right ahead trying to pull her free...and the train hit them.

The wife was killed, the husband was mortally injured and died later, the tramp was killed--and testimony showed that neither man made the slightest effort to save himself.

The husband's behavior was heroic...but what we expect of a husband towards his wife: his right, and his proud privilege, to die for this woman. But what of the nameless stranger? Up to the very last second he could have jumped clear. He did not. He was still trying to save this woman he had never seen before in his life, right up to the very instant the train killed him. And that's all we'll ever know about him.

This is how a man dies.

This is how a man...lives!

For those of you who do not recognize this story, it is from "The Pragmatics of Patriotism," by Robert Anson Heinlein. I generally prefer quoting the man himself, rather than one of his fictional characters.

Posted by Rich at August 1, 2007 8:13 PM | TrackBack