ScienceAugust 17, 2026

altruism

AL-troo-iz-um

Definition

Behavior by an organism that benefits other members of its species at a cost to itself, used here to explain how local biological actions can lead to global planetary stability.

Etymology

The word was coined by the French philosopher Auguste Comte in the 19th century from the Italian word 'altrui', meaning 'of or to others', to describe the principle of living for the sake of others.

In the news

In the context of the Gaia hypothesis, the author uses this term to explain how beneficial actions of individual organisms can spread throughout a system to create global order without needing conscious planning.

Planet Earth Is Conscious With a ‘Mind’ Shaping the Fate of All Life, Controversial Theory Suggests

Read the full article ↗

Popular Mechanics

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