He is witnessing the incident in which the peasant is being charged and finally he steps forward and insists the accused is not the man they seek. When he is told that their mission is to bring him home, Ryan declines the opportunity and insists on staying with his company and fighting to protect the bridge they have secured. When asked what they should tell his mother who has already lost her other sons in the war, he says they should tell her he is staying with the only brothers he has left and that she will understand. In Armageddon , it becomes clear as the story winds down that one of the men will have to stay behind and lose his life to complete the mission. The men draw straws to see who will stay and although one of the other men gets the straw, it is the Bruce Willis character who chooses to stay and sacrifice his life.
Philosophers call such acts of selfless giving acts of altruism.
Curiously, there is debate in academic circles over whether there really is any such thing as altruism. Some evolutionary biologists, for instance, argue that all so-called altruistic acts are really subtly disguised acts of selfishness. While this debate rages, the fact remains that most people see in the sort of actions portrayed in these movies the highest reaches of human excellence. We find ourselves moved not only by Private Ryan's choice to stay with his company but also by his claim that his mother would understand his choice. Visit the Wisdom Warehouse for books, tapes and other goodies.