I don’t disagree that humans can do actions that only benefits others, and that altruism exists. I think there is a better theory than both pleasure-maximizing and “humans are intrinsically nice to others”, and that is Evolution. Also, Evolution can be understood as “gene-spread chance maximizing”, so I think humans are still better modelled as internal counter maximizer.
Donating to charity can be explained by Signaling, it lets others know that you have an excess of money. Pure altruism alone cannot explain donations because we donate more when we’re being watched. (More detailed explanation of charity can be found in The Elephant in the Brain Chapter 12: Charity.)
I don’t disagree that humans can do actions that only benefits others, and that altruism exists. I think there is a better theory than both pleasure-maximizing and “humans are intrinsically nice to others”, and that is Evolution. Also, Evolution can be understood as “gene-spread chance maximizing”, so I think humans are still better modelled as internal counter maximizer.
Donating to charity can be explained by Signaling, it lets others know that you have an excess of money. Pure altruism alone cannot explain donations because we donate more when we’re being watched. (More detailed explanation of charity can be found in The Elephant in the Brain Chapter 12: Charity.)