Altruism is the masculine noun from the French word altruism which indicates a attitude of love of neighbor or absence of selfishness. It can also be used as a synonym for philanthropy.
It is also considered an ethical doctrine that indicates concern for others as a "supreme" principle of morality.
Several thinkers defended the concept of altruism, with some defending the representative attitude of altruism without using that word. This was the case with the German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach. The word "altruism" itself was created by the French philosopher Auguste Comte to describe behavior opposed to selfishness.
A person altruistic is the one who thinks of others before thinking of herself. Altruism is one of the foundations of several religious doctrines, such as Christianity, for example. In the case of Christianity, altruism is revealed through love of neighbor, one of the commandments left by Jesus (John 13:34). Despite this, altruism is not an exclusive attitude of a person who follows a religion and can be demonstrated by anyone, being a matter of morals.
An altruistic individual is not selfish, that is, he does not help others in order to obtain some benefit in return. However, there is also the concept of reciprocal altruism, in which one person helps another knowing that in the future that person may be able to return the favor.
THE empathy and the ethic they consist of two of the foundations of altruism, because it is important that one person put himself in another person's shoes, understanding what he is going through and acting accordingly.
See also:5 Selfless Attitudes That Changed the World and the qualities of a person.
