True Altruism can exist.

Thank you for taking this debate! True altruism does exist. I have several arguments to start off. These are situations in which a person is acting altruistically, without any selfish interest and for the benefit of someone else: 1. A firefighter who is in a burning building only has a few seconds to choose whether he saves this child from dying or whether he leaves and save himself. He grabs the child and throws her out of the window to the inflated air-"mattress" below with the knowledge he will not live by doing that. The ceiling collapses, killing him. What possible selfish motivation would there be in that situation? He saves the life of someone else while losing his own. He was not suicidal, but simply chose to save someone's life at the cost of his own. Show me the selfish motivation in this situation (that has also undoubtedly occurred). I have a feeling I know what you will say, but I will wait until you actually say it to refute it. 2. A family member who gives up their very livelihood in order that their child can somehow survive. You certainly see this many times, where a parent will save their child at the cost of their own life. Again, there is no selfish motivation. Let us say that there is a family of three out in the wilderness (mother, father, and daughter). They are completely isolated from the outside world. The family begins to not have enough food to survive. There is really only enough for two people. The father goes out into the woods and shoots himself so that his family may survive. Is there selfish motive there? Again, the person kills himself so that others may live. 3. There is this argument that people who donate money do it in order to get fame, recognition, Heaven, or a good feeling. So, let us say there is an atheist who anonymously donates to charities all the time. (S)He gets a good feeling, so say the opponents of true altruism, so it is selfishly motivated. But what about that very first time (s)he gives anonymously? In that situation, he/she does not have the knowledge that a good feeling with follow from giving. The very first act of kindness of a person is one that is altruistic because there is no expectation of reciprocity and there is no knowledge that a good feeling with result. On that point of good feeling, sometimes people do things that help other people and give them a BAD feeling. Let me recount a true story. Bob has a very close friend named Ted. Ted has a terrible eating disorder that is hurting him. Bob does not want Ted to continue suffering. He goes to Ted and says "You have a problem. If you don't check yourself into a clinic, I will tell people so that they come help you. I'm just worried about you." Ted is very angry and refuses to do so. Bob tells Ted's family so Ted can get help. Ted and Bob who had been friends for 10 years, have not spoken in the 43 years following that incident. Bob did not get a good feeling from the incident. He got a very bad feeling. He regrets doing it and never felt good about what he did, even though it completely benefited Ted and didn't help Bob at all. This is a true story, mind you. Is there selfish motivation there? No. These are just opening situations. I will be happy to refute your refutations in the coming rounds.