widespread–and it is interesting to ask why. One reason, of course, is that human selfishness is both dispense with the word “altruism.” But what about the thing it describes? Can we do without that?

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. In 1971, the philosophy department at Oxford University was confronted with an unusual student. One of the few vegetarians on ...

When I told friends and family I was working on a book about the science of heroism and altruism, some sounded skeptical. “There’s no such thing as true altruism,” they would say. “Don’t people ...

In a world seemingly driven by self-interest and personal gain, one might wonder: Is altruism still alive? Has the essence of selflessness faded away amidst the chaos of modern society? These ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Guest Opinion. Altruism is helping without a benefit and sometimes at a risk to one’s self. Animals helping others of their own ...

On the Thursday, November 13, 2025 episode of The Excerpt podcast: In honor of World Kindness Day — we’ve partnered with the Humankind team at USA TODAY for a deeper exploration on the topic of ...

There are, of course, other realms we could consider—like altruism that functions to signal traits about the actor, to gain social status, or whether the immediate motives of an actor are ...

Reprinted from "Your Brain on Altruism: The Power of Connection and Community during Times of Crisis" by Nicole Karlis, courtesy of University of California Press ...

Progressives at The New Statesman recently criticized the effective-altruism movement, claiming that it provides “ideological cover for racism and sexism.” That criticism, whatever its merits, misses ...