Thread: Morality and its source

Originally Posted by Bruno

But if you are being altruistic because it makes you feel good or because it satisfies an inner need or hunger for justice or rightness... is it still selfless? Or is it merely a different aspect of selfishness?

If you define altruism in a way that is self-contradictory then you need a better definition.

This is one of those "you know it when you see it" things. Mother Teresa was not just being selfish in a clever way. If we have trouble categorizing her behavior that's our shortcoming not a proof of her character flaw. If we can't come up with something better we could define altruism to mean "whatever Mother Teresa would do".