Altruistic behavior is impossible. (psychological egoism)

First let me start out by stating that I am not arguing that self interest is only a possible cause of any person's actions like you inquired but that it IS involved in EVERY single action. Not only that it is involved in every single action but that it is the only cause for every single action and to prove that such acts that you claim are altruistic are impossible. The reason that it seems like I am implying that it is only a possibility is because it is not possible to claim what the person actually wants from that action in hypothetical claims. You made a very good argument and It will be hard for me to challenge your theory but I will make an attempt starting with your first argument that is easily refutable. As I stated earlier in psychological hedonism, Which still refutes altruism, all human action is motivated by the idea of avoiding pain and gaining pleasure. The idea of minimizing the damage done by losing the least amount of money is still motivated by self interest and also has no altruism involved.As I also discussed, just because someone seems to be committing an act of altruism does not mean that they don't have self interest in mind. A person can consider the pain and pleasure involved and decide which one outweighs itself and is the decision they want to choose. it is not possible for someone to predict the amount of pain and doesn't mean that just because the person regrets the decision they made doesn't mean they weren't acting in self interest.- You just me make my argument for me by saying that the old man put a value on his life and therefore was weighing the decision on whether he should kill himself. he ultimately made the decision in this hypothetical scenario because he wanted to kill himself meaning it was motivated by self interest. He couldn't live with the pain of being a burden to others and so he minimized the pain he had to live with by ending his life.- Again in this scenario value is being place on life before a decision is being made. I will let you figure out what I would have said would be the reason for him committed an action. All that I will say is that all action is based on motivation. he committed this action considering the possible outcomes and made a decision being motivated by self interest. 1. Not all possible causes of an actions are causes but they are factors in the deciding action.2. You are correct that self interest is just another cause. My argument is that it is the only possible cause.This scenario can not be used. She can not eat meat because she has no teeth. That means that even if you don't consider the other factors such as her religion the decision of not eating meat remains the same. Because she can't eat meat.The decision of not eating meat is not even a decision because another possible outcome is not possible. If someone holds a gun to your head and tells you to eat kale and you don't like kale you are going to eat it anyway because you have to. It is not really a decision. Likewise if someone holds a gun to your head and tells you to eat ice cream the factor that you really like ice cream does not matter as it is not really a decision to be made. You have to eat the ice cream or you will die. Acts of altruism have to be actual decisions made.Considering your argument involving the homework, just saying you help him out because he is your friend does not prove how it would cause someone to be motivated purely altruistic behavior. Claiming that there is behavior out there that exists with altruism is like claiming that there is actions without a real reason. How can you claim someone like that in a world where almost everything is explained by reason.Teach him so you don't have to help him out next time. That is not self interest? Improving the overall class grade is self interest because you are in that class and it makes you look better even if it has the alternating affect of making other people look better. That doesn't mean that was your intention and motivated by self interest. Gaining respect, being redeemed for your sins, and pity are all motivated by self interest. Pity is caused by a reaction in your brain that can cause guilt. Guilt is a form of pain that people want to avoid. Any action that is committed to avoid the pain of guilt is done in self interest.Psychological egoism is a hard thing to argue as it is just human nature to want to assume that there is some reason that people do nice things. It is hard for humans to accept the disorder or meaninglessness involved in this world. As humans we want to find reason in everything quickly and automatically and therefore we assume things. We don't want to accept that everyone is out for themselves because as humans we need to trust people. I'm not arguing on what you should do or who you should trust I am only arguing on how I see that things are.Next round I will keep my rebuttal short and introduce a new argument. Good luck.