Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Altruism: Empathy, Compassion, and Care

This book offers an innovative focus on altruism, in which the concept is considered as not just a moral or psychological phenomenon, but as a foundational component of human identity. This book offers an innovative focus on altruism, in which the concept is considered as not just a moral or psychological phenomenon, but as a foundational component of human identity. It explores altruism from both theoretical and applied perspectives, making use of the second-person philosophy to shift enquiry from self-centred ethics to relational identity. With an interdisciplinary scope that spans the fields of philosophy, neuroscience, economics, medicine, ecology, communication, pedagogy, theology and sociology, this contributed volume provides a rich and holistic understanding of altruism. Its international contributors offer an expert response to current anthropological and social crises by way of a new paradigm - one of proximity and care. The book will be of interest to a mixed audience of scholars and students in the fields of philosophy, theology, psychology, sociology, education, medical humanities, and communication studies, particularly those engaged in interdisciplinary research on altruism.