Hi Paul: On the subject of altruism, I acknowledge that humans have
survived because of their self-interest, a biological imperative. We have
learned that despite this imperative, however, man is able to make another
person, say a wife, a child, a parent, important enough in his life that he
comes to equate their well-being with his own. So, we can evolve as human
being to the point where we can, through training, equate mankind as a whole
to the same status as the wife, child, or parent. Truly elevated humans,
when making a decision that would benefit them but would hurt the
"important others" (mankind) in their lives, would be constrained desist in
making that decision. It is possible that our failure to grasp this concept
is probably at the root of all our problems as a short-lived race. Let me
hear from you. Best to you, Tommye
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