Altruism is a philosophical term, derived from the Greek root: “alt” (also known as “alter”), “to change”, and “ist” (which may also be read as “self”). Hence, to Altruism, everything in the universe is merely a temporary transition or shift. According to the dictionary, the definition of this philosophy is “an alternative view of reality; a form of freethinking.” The main aim of Altruism is to look at philosophy as something that is trying to control and direct the future, rather than allowing it to control and direct one’s life. Philosophy, Altruism believes, is basically an attempt by humans to understand the world around them in order to better understand themselves. This way, humans can gain insight into their place in the world, and how they fit in.
For many philosophers, the goal of philosophy is to discover the ultimate truth. Altruism differs, however, from most philosophies in that it denies the existence of a God or an afterlife, and instead believes that knowledge is simply attainable. By making the statement that philosophy cannot know things for certain, the Altruists believe that they can know those things for sure by using scientific methods and strategies, though they admit that it may sometimes be difficult to do so.
Philosophers who support Altruism include Leo Tolstoy, Immanuel Kant, John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Immanuel Tillich. According to some sources, Altruism was first founded on an essay by Christopher Hills in 1832. Other names for this philosophy include Spiritualism, Idealism, and Neo-moraphy. According to its greatest followers, Altruism is not a religion, but is a philosophical term used to describe a way of looking at the world. Some of its main characteristics are: no belief in a deity, metaphysics that are independent of religion, appeals to intellectual curiosity, and an emphasis on science and rational self-help rather than spirituality.