Egoism versus Altruism
In the humanitarian sciences, the notions of “egoism” and “altruism” are usually treated as the opposites. An altruistic self-sacrifice for the common good is always treated as heroic action and is highly appreciated. The most classical examples are the lives of M. Gandhi, A. Schweitzer, Theresa and some others. Therefore altruism has an untainted reputation while egoism is sometimes considered to be one of the “worst”. As A. Waterman puts it, “the pursuit of self-interest is thought to yield a sense of alienation.
