Definition of "altruism" []

• Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness. (noun)
• Zoology Instinctive behavior that is detrimental to the individual but favors the survival or spread of that individual's genes, as by benefiting its relatives. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "This use of the term altruism makes it a very different thing from the quality or characteristic which in the West is described by this term."
• "And (since your altruism is the primary factor in your decision making) your moral decisions stand or fall on whether you are feeling benevolent at the moment."
• "My "altruism" is the encouragement of ethical behavior."