There is a belief or philosophy... not sure what it's called...?

Question

that no matter what people do, no matter how altruistic it may seem, that it is basically a selfish deed. Even if it's giving away all your time or money to charity... you are doing it to make yourself feel better... does this belief or philosophy (or whatever) have a name?

Answer 1

The name of the doctrine is 'psychological egoism'. The view might have been held by Thomas Hobbes (but this is a little controversial). Bishop Joseph Butler and Francis Hutcheson both argued against it in the 1700s. Mark Twain advocated it in his "What is Man?"

It is not determinism. Determinism says nothing about what kinds of motives people have. All determinism says is that everything is completely necessitated by previous states of the universe and laws of nature. (At least that's causal determinism, which is what most people use the term to mean. There's also theological determinism and logical determinism, neither of which have anything to do with what kinds of motives people have.)

'Skepticism' is far too broad a term. It's typically used for the claim that we don't have any genuine knowledge. But it's also used for all sorts of other stuff.

Positivism has nothing to do with what kinds of motives people have. Positivism models all inquiry on scientific inquiry. Logical positivism claimed that the meaning of scientific terms and sentences was given by the appropriate empirical methods of verification (observation, measurement, ...).

'Hedonism' is too broad. It's first and foremost a theory of value: the only thing intrinsically valuable is pleasure. But there is psychological hedonism, which is typically understood as a particular type of psychological egoism: it's the view that all our motives are pleasure-seeking motives (hence selfish motives).

Answer 2

It's a tautology. You're using a definition of selfishness that effectively encompasses altruistic deeds as being selfish. Technically, people with a charitable inclinations are acting in their "self interest" but this assumption blurs any real distinction between charity and avarice. Selfish is so defined that it is less of a moral judgment and is more a synonym for human behavior.

Answer 3

There is no name for this. The opposite is altruism but there is no antonym for this word.

The main problem with the position that every deed is selfish is that many deeds are done for no reason. For example if I sneeze this can not really be considered selfish - it is just something my body does whether I want to or not. Although I have sneezed this was not for selfish or altruistic reasons, in effect there was no motivation for this action.

Answer 4

An interesting question.There is a concept in evolution called "reciprocal altruism." It basically means, 'you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours." In a novel by the Marquis de Sade, this idea is brutally depicted (although de Sade wouldn't have called it by the term coined by modern evolutionists. In this novel, the narrator (a man) is rescued by a woman from a band of kidnappers. The two of them decide to journey together. Soon after, the man rapes the woman. She is shocked and asks him how could he do such a thing, especially since she risked her life to save him. The narrator replied to the effect that: "You rescued me in order to feel good about yourself. It made you feel heroic. You didn't do it for me at all. Thus, I can do anything I want with you. And, in fact, everything you do is for your own self-interest, just as everything I do." It probably won't be a theme for a family Christmas movie any time soon

Answer 5

"Selffull-filling Egocentric Altruism"

many people have this "what-goes-around-comes-around" (secretly or subconsciously) and do not want to take changes with their own karma..

at the same time it might also be witnessed as a temporarily (conscious?) affliction around religious holidays / charity TV run. It appeals to the following feeling (or thought process) that people have; "..if i am capable of giving a helping hand.. it is not ME who is on the receiving hand.. thus making ME superior and I am stating (to whomever sees my donation) that I am not in need of any help myself.." - therefore feeling better and reinforcing the 'I am strong and not needy'

Answer 6

It is a school of philosophy called "Hedonism".

Sorry for all the semi-literates who offered wrong answers to this. The answer is certainly not "positivism" or the other nonsense you people offered. Maybe you all should learn something yourselves before trying to answer questions for others.

Answer 7

i don't know the name but i thought that was interesting

but doesn't it all depend on what perspective you look at things? it doesn't seem reasonable because our existence is defined by our actions and according to that, everything we do is for ourselves, is everything out of selfishness?
isn't helping others like satisfying others?

that's an interesting philosophy, it's making me think and re-evaluate everything, what is the name, i'm curious now too

Answer 8

we are all live life with "selfish" motivation to be happy individually...Neither belief or philosophy, for those is all our own attempt to explain to ourselves our motives, our own labor based on prime ignorance..We do not know origin of a seed or cause but building our beliefs and philosophy on consequences , effects of a cause. Basically we satisfied with our search, by roaming from one conclusion to another... But some seekers questioning their position within details, and attempting to get out of never ending questions..To get out of it means to get out of all that terms and definitions and be simply Yourself. being without beliefs and philosophy...That would well define Wisdom. Selfishness as anything in this dual environment has another side which has a positive coloration...Some pretty girl giving you a promising smile. Feeling you experience is entirely yours, you enjoy them and looking that girl for "selfish" purpose to experience it again and again....Simple but all the motivations of human being based on that "selfishness" to be happy . There is another factor involved. To share happiness with one or many...Selfish too...You cannot collect all the happiness otherwise you'll be sick one way or another...so you give part away. For sake of your being...
same process going on with unhappiness...There is a state where negativity of being selfish revealed. Most people is unhappy that is why selfishness mostly observed as a negative element of human behavior.

Answer 9

Scepticism

Answer 10

Ignorance?