On the Dilemma of Morality: Self-interest and Altruism

The dilemma of morality as depicted in controversy on self-interest and altruism, (or selfishness and unselfishness) has been in existence a long time. [1] Though it did not merely originate with them, this dilemma reached its fruition and received classic expression in eighteenth-century moral philosophers. In spite of immense solutions, the core question of the dilemma still remained open. The overall aim of this paper is to suggest that the concepts of self-interest and altruism are liable to be a source of confusion in our moral thinking, and to take some steps towards dispelling this confusion. While it is not aspiring to discuss the dilemma so as to conclude any discussion, in its turn, it tries to modeling a moderate solution for the dilemma.