Why Why?

[slartibartfast]

So in your opinion, can one "aim oneself towards the Good" without believing in God?

 
I think so yes.

Pretty sure some of the Greek schools do not require a belief in gods.

A more modern perspective; I'm an egoist. It is simply to my advantage to 'aim forth the good'. Essentially, I avoid doing wrong to others because there are consequences. I sometimes behave in a  benevolent way for the sake of reward. That reward may simply be a nice feeling. I think this a common human motivation. From time to time I will act in an altruistic way. IE doing what I see as right/good  for no other reason than it is right or good.

It's my observation (anecdotal evidence) that there are indeed altruistic acts, perhaps billlions on any given day.  However, as far as I'm aware I've never met or heard off an altruistic person. That doesn't mean there aren't any. However, it does seem to suggest such people may be bit thin on the ground. Of course it could simply be that I'm  a nasty and bitter old cynic who finds it hard to see the good in people.   

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My Reference: Egoism and Altruism  Ronald Milo

Interesting train of thought. I agree there is an internal motivation to being altruistic as you stated - ie. the reward is that you feel good because you know you have made someone else's life a little better, so in that sense is that simply being selfish? Taking this a bit further - let's say that I give away the majority of my income to people poorer than myself. If I get greater personal satisfaction from that than spending it on myself to increase my lifestyle, is it truly altruistic, or self-appeasement? 

Alternatively, as a thought experiment, could you imagine a person who has spent their entire life predominantly helping other people and getting tremendous personal satisfaction from that, who eventually gets emotionally numb to the "satisfaction" part, but carries on doing it because of habit... does that make this person actually more altruistic?