ONKAR GHATE ON BBC RADIO

Onkar Ghate will participate in a panel discussion on BBC Radio (Night Waves).

When the Asian tsunami devastated millions of lives six months ago, individuals and governments around the world donated money and effort in almost unprecedented quantities. And with Live8 and the G8 summit about to take place, attention will once again focus on aid to Africa.

But what lies behind an individual's desire to help others in a selfless way? Auguste Comte, the French founder of positivism, believed that individuals have a moral obligation to serve the interest of others, even at one's own cost. Yet the writer Ayn Rand challenged both philosophical and conventional ethics and presented strong arguments against altruism in its various forms.

And to what extent is the concept of altruism an evolutionary trait? (BBC.co.uk, 06/29/05.)