re: Simple Question concerning altruism

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Is it really even possible to do something and it be genuinely altruistic?

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It's a cool question. Pure altruism could be possible, but it would be impossible to actually prove it scientifically. On an individual level I think it's more helpful to think of in terms of specific actions. Like, if I help someone find their lost dog and spend hours walking around the woods to find it, I'd say that was an altruistic act. Do I benefit from it? Sure, it makes me feel good to help. But does the good feeling weigh more in terms of utility than the hours of physical activity spent in the search of someone else's dog? I wouldn't think so.