Altruism: Its Nature and Varieties

This book tackles the idea of altruism versus egoism, and how they are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The author argues that altruism is only meaningful when accompanied by egoism, and he traces three stages that the altruistic impulse goes through in everyday life. He shows the varying degrees of dignity in each stage and the helpful presence of egoistic balance in all of them. Through his notion of a "conjunct self," the author aims to clarify this partnership between altruism and egoism, and provide a contribution to our perplexed time.