The concept of altruism, or disinterested concern for another's welfare, has been discussed by everyone from theologians to psychologists to biologists. In this cutting edge book, evolutionary, neurological, developmental, psychological, social, cultural, and religious aspects of altruistic behavior are examined by renowned researchers. The result is a collaborative and provocative look at one of humanity's essential and defining characteristics.

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Purity is a condition of the soul that implies divine grace has been acknowledged and further has been granted with this condition of light not having any relationship with the darkness of evil. The angels, the cherubs, the seraphim are pure with this status enabling them to see the face of the Almighty. Angels are spirits of light, the spirit begotten children of the Father of lights, messengers of the spirit of mercy, faithfulness, truthfulness, forgiveness, optimism and joy that impart a language of service by means of the spirit of altruism, where the strong serve the weak, to all who are to inherit paradise and salvation. Since the faithful angels are pure spirits the Father is a pure spirit, a Holy Spirit, being undefiled and therefore all that is in him are the spirits of selfless love, of selfless justice, of selfless power and of selfless wisdom which all shine as radiant light opposing and exposing the spirits of evil which are selfish love, selfish justice and selfish wisdom. It follows then that the Father of lights having no sharing with evil does not punish, punishment being evil, anybody for anything at all but only protects, guides, supports and disciplines but never punishes, not even those that stand firmly as enemies and adversaries. The Father has no hatred, indifference, bitterness or enmity in His heart towards anyone but has a heart that vibrates with purity and affection. God is Love.

This text examines evolutionary, neurological, psychological, social, cultural and religious aspects of altruistic behaviour. It presents an overview, a review of contemporary research, and various debates, as well as possible future directions.

Why is the Golden Rule so central in almost every culture and religion? What is it that drives human beings to do good to others? Are altruism, compassion, and forgiveness natural forms of human behavior, or do they have to be learned and practiced in the neural context of our primal instincts for survival and self-defense? These are some of the questions that lie behind the study of Compassionate Love amongst people of color. Davis explores the patterns and contours of “other-love,” which he defines as a selfless regard for the well-being of others. He also examines the basis for distinctive modes of compassionate behavior enriched by “ebony grace” — a theological attribution for people of African descent. This text focuses especially on the historical, cultural, and religious heritage that inspires and empowers such attitudes, in spite of constant encounters with systemic negation, social alienation, and unrelenting racism. How is it that Black families in the home, school, and church still support, sustain, and succeed in the practice of unyielding love-in-compassion? That is the magic and mystery within contemporary Black cultural norms and moral values. This text is a powerful attempt to contribute to the debate on Christian altruism.

The author of the international bestseller Happiness makes a passionate case for altruism -- and why we need it now more than ever. In Happiness, Matthieu Ricard demonstrated that true happiness is not tied to fleeting moments or sensations, but is an enduring state of soul rooted in mindfulness and compassion for others. Now he turns his lens from the personal to the global, with a rousing argument that altruism -- genuine concern for the well-being of others -- could be the saving grace of the 21st century. It is, he believes, the vital thread that can answer the main challenges of our time: the economy in the short term, life satisfaction in the mid-term, and environment in the long term. Ricard's message has been taken up by major economists and thinkers, including Dennis Snower, Amartya Sen, Joseph Stiglitz, and George Soros. Matthieu Ricard makes a robust and passionate case for cultivating altruistic love and compassion as the best means for simultaneously benefitting ourselves and our society. It's a fresh outlook on an ardent struggle -- and one that just might make the world a better place.

This book is an inquiry into the motivation for altruistic behavior. It uncovers the condition that prompts or sometimes even compels us to act intentionally for the benefit of others. This condition, the pre-reflective experience of another person as a self-conscious individual just like oneself, finds its origin in the very structure of the mind. The essay is a synthesis of evidence from neuroscience, phenomenology, Eastern philosophy, analytic philosophy of mind, and cognitive psychology. Hence, it is an excellent example of work in applied cognitive science. The book includes a critique of the several main approaches to the explanation of the motivation for altruistic behavior: biological, psychological, and philosophical. The path of the main inquiry produces several innovative proposals in the philosophy of mind in addition to the main conclusion. Included in these are a detailed account of the structure of the human mind, an ontological categorization of mental states, a naturalistic explanation of so-called mystical states, a proposal for the role of consciousness in the downward causation of physical events, a new interpretation of the Buddhist doctrine of no-self and a unique view of the nature of love.

Integralism, Altruism and Reconstruction: Essays in Honor of Pitirim A. Sorokin presenta el sociòleg de nacionalitat russa Pitirim A. Sorokin (1889-1968) des de la perspectiva del pensament sociològic contemporani. Els nou autors que participen en aquest llibre, originaris de diverses universitats nord-americanes i espanyoles, reflexionen sobre els períodes brillants i obscurs de la trajectòria acadèmica de Sorokin. Després d'haver experimentat una vida política molt activa a Rússia, Sorokin emigrà als Estats Units durant els anys 30, on esdevingué una figura acadèmica de gran prestigi. Arribà a ser director del departament de sociologia de la Universitat de Harvard de 1930 a 1944, fundà el Harvard Research Center in Creative Altruism el 1949 i fou nominat com a president de la American Sociological Association el 1964. Ara bé, malgrat la seua distingida i prolífica carrera acadèmica, moltes de les seues obres han estat ignorades en gran manera per la sociologia convencional. Aquest llibre descriu les raons per les quals el destí de Sorokin prengué una direcció tan desafortunada i posa en relleu l'existència avui mateix d'un creixent grup d'acadèmics interessats a revitalitzar aquest important teòric i autor.

An anthology of the most inspiring and instructive texts on spiritual enlightenment from great Tibetan masters—handpicked by a best-selling author and Tibetan Buddhist monk Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard has selected and translated some of the most profound and inspiring teachings from the eight traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The selected teachings are from the Buddha himself, Nagarjuna, Guru Rinpoche, Atisha, Shantideva, and Asanga; the great masters of the past, Thogme Zangpo, the Fifth Dalai Lama, Milarepa, Longchenpa, and Sakya Pandita; and contemporary masters, including the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and Mingyur Rinpoche. The teachings address such topics as: • The nature of the mind • The foundations of taking refuge, generating altruistic compassion, acquiring merit, and following a teacher • View, meditation, and action • How to remove obstacles and make progress on the Buddhist path Inspired by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Ricard creates his anthology with Khyentse’s religious philosophy in mind: “When we come to appreciate the depth of the view of the eight great traditions [of Tibetan Buddhism] and also see that they all lead to the same goal without contradicting each other, we think, ‘Only ignorance can lead us to adopt a sectarian view.’”

Main headings: Part I. Logic and theology. - Part II. History of logic. - Part III. Metaphysics and ethics. - Comments and discussions.