Altruism Author:James R. Ozinga Altruism, understood as doing something for someone else at some cost to oneself, is contrasted with selfishness. Ozinga examines the probable sources of altruism, in the genes, in the concept of natural law, and in the instinct for social behavior. Sociologists take for granted that selfishness rules human behavior. Altruism is considered an en... more »vironmental addition to the human character, often seen as naivete. Ozinga argues that altruism is a natural part of human nature is not just found in a few rare people--that it has evolutionary value and is exhibited in some manner by everyone.« less