Altruism

I was debating with a friend on facebook earlier on. We talked about alot of things, but mostly about what we shouldn't... such as religion. We talked about morality as well. One of his view on humanity thoroughly shocked me...

In summary of what he claimed: "Altruism is simply heuristic thinking. Heuristic thinking need not be rationalised prior to event. It can also be genetic."

According to him, people perform socially desirable acts as a result to weighing ones benefits and costs. Indeed, that is true, but it doesn't applies across the board for all scenarios and people. But to claim that failure to weigh such self-serving benefits and costs is simply as a result of heuristic thinking... I've this feeling that he overapplied the concept of "heuristic thinking".

From what I've learnt in Buddhism, we were taught that the general guideline of morality, is to do what benefits yourself and others. Therefore, immorality is to harm yourself and others. How do we benefit others? We empathize, put ourselves in others' shoes, to find out how can we help others. But these are only in deeds. True cultivation of the heart is also to discipline ourselves by also not allowing ourselves to feel proud of the good deeds we've done, or desire for any rewards. This, in my opinion, is truly altruism.

诸恶莫作。众善奉行。自净其意。