An Exploration and Examination of Likeminded Folk Undertaking Interdisciplinary Altruistic

Endeavors and How Service Learning Plays a Role in The Development of Moral Reasoning and
Ethical Decision Making.
JP Stienberg
Prof. Dellner
INFO-110
Ocean County College Fall Semester 2014

Table of Contents
Thesis .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Empathy, Ayn Rand and Religion .................................................................................................. 6
Service Learning, Morals and Ethics .............................................................................................. 9
Research Log .................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Bibliography and Works Cited ..................................................................................................... 11

Thesis
This written work seeks to be an exploration and examination of the notion that likeminded folk within a particular discipline work towards similar altruistic goals, how and why
they come together, their purpose and impact on their social communities and their adoption and
adaptation of interdisciplinary studies and skillsets. Is this an innate human behavior or do we
find ourselves arbitrarily participating in someone else's plan according to our own disciplinary
skills rather than a genuine drive to affect positive change in the world? It also aims to marry
points of view concerning some of the research on how Service Learning may be instrumental in
shaping and reinforcing one's moral integrity thus developing ones ability to engage in ethical
reasoning and decision making; therefore directing such folk as mentioned above to interact and
pursue a mutual end goal, supposedly for the good of their fellow man. Allow me to recount a
recent incident which took place in the Ocean County College (OCC) Library.
I arrived there one afternoon after classes and lunch, as I usually do, to work on an
assignment. I made my way towards the back of the first floor where there are a number of
public computer terminals when I noticed my favorite one at which to sit was available. As I sat,
I made eye contact with the girl just opposite of my terminal, it was apparent she was upset and
on the verge of crying. But I decided that I would mind my business. Just then, one of the
librarians walked over to the girl and leaned down to speak with her. By quickly analyzing the
scenario and inadvertently having overheard sporadic segments of their conversation, I was able
to quickly surmise what the problem was; she clicked something mistakenly which caused the
computer to erase all of the work she had saved on her flash drive.
So as not to digress, let me explain the outcome and delve into how it relates to the topic at
hand. After noticing how upset the librarian was having discovered that the men from the IT

department were able to recover the girls work, but would not out of fear of breaching their
employment contract and after hearing the girl cry, I couldnt help but intercede. A concerned
faculty member, Donna, Interim Library Director, invited the girl to her office to see if anything
could be done. I had a gut feeling they werent going to be successful, as I have observed that
many common people are not tech savvy or experienced enough to recover lost data, which is
something I have done many times. When I spoke to them and expressed my desire to help, I
also reassured them that I had ample experience in such matters and could almost guarantee an
agreeable outcome. Within several minutes of sitting at Donnas desk and plugging in the girls
drive, I was able to retrieve the deleted document and let her see that every word she typed was
indeed accounted for.
Afterwards, Donna and I had a brief conversation during which it became quite apparent that
we were thinking along the same lines; we both felt an equal amount of sympathy and empathy
for such discouraging roadblocks as well as a level of contempt for the way in which the men
from IT responded to the emergency. Donna explained that she learned the IT department is not
hired to help individual students, rather to maintain the computers and network functioning,
therefore being contractually precluded from doing so. That is when we discussed the idea of
launching a voluntary student-run digital response unit on campus. We are planning to present
this to the administration shortly and expect it be met with some accord.
I note this incident to support the concepts contained in the thesis herein. Prior to the mishap
with the girls flash drive, Donna and I were not acquainted, although we have spent numerous
hours five days a week over the course of a year or more in the same building. For that matter,
neither had the librarian, who was the initial respondent to the girls dilemma, and I been
acquainted. After, however, the three of us along with several others are collectively backing the

forming of a new assistive service long needed on the OCC campus. One could not help but
describe this kind of phenomenon as a collaborative and interdisciplinary altruistic endeavor
motivated genuinely by an empathetic approach to problem solving.

Empathy, Ayn Rand and Religion

In The Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis: Issues and Implications, C. Daniel Baston
describes empathic concern as an emotional response to anothers suffering which produces
altruistic motivation. (Baston, 41) When examining the altruism-egoism paradigm one cannot
help but recognize the possibility of two ultimate separate outcomes, which would be: the
wellbeing of others and the self-gratification and ego boost that often accompanies praise and
thanks when one is regarded individually for having saved the day. The latter, perhaps, not an
intended conscious end, but certainly a consequential egoistic benefit derived thereof.
While I possess a great deal of respect and reverence for Ayn Rands writing prowess and
often find myself agreeing with much of her overall sentiment, one cannot fail to see a flaw in
her strict adherence to the one track mind analysis of altruism. To a large extent, she leaves little
to no room for any interpretation other than her own explicit views on the subject. After reading
Atlas Shrugged and much of her philosophical and sociological non-fiction work, it becomes
evident that she presents altruism as an abhorrence. That is to say that involuntary, sometimes
compulsory, altruistic endeavors within society as a whole does more to obstruct progress rather
than motivate everyone to truly tackle the problems of everyday life collectively and
cooperatively without agitation.
The War on Drugs is a perfect example of an altruistic endeavor not only facilitated, but
spearheaded by government which has done more to hinder human progress than serve a
common good. On the surface the expressed intention is to eradicate the nuisance of addiction,
mental illness, STDs and crime. However, what we have seen is quite the contrary; crime rates
have risen along with the rate of drug use and abuse. Consequently, we see a rise in the problems
of society and communities often attributed to a rampant presence of drug use. The US has

become the world leader in incarceration for minor non-violent crimes as a result. Here we see
an instance where the means were justified by the concern for the greater good which have
produced far less than favorable effects. One point for Rand!
Allow me to revisit a point mentioned in a paper I wrote previously: [a]s has been
explained by numerous well-seasoned knowledgeable professionals in this and other related
fields, legislation and regulation tends to complicate altruistic endeavors more so than promote
the seamless interdisciplinary integration of professional human and social service agencies and
organizations.(Steinberg, 38)
Of course, when making an examination of this kind it is difficult to ignore the religious
institutions. Clergy and laity are often involved in collective and collaborative altruistic
endeavors out of a seemingly genuine concern for the greater good. People are generally
indoctrinated into a particular religion at a very early age by their caregivers, immediate family
and community. For the most part, society tends to use religion to instil moral values in children
as they grow up. These children are often encouraged to participate in charity events and
community outreach and service, usually uncompensated, thereby making it seem as though
these altruistic endeavors are not necessarily engaged out of a genuinely self-derived concern for
others. And when we note that the major religions largely promote the belief in punishment and
reward by a sentient godhead, we are then forced to question individuals legitimacy.
In a paper by David Horton Smith, Churches are Generally Ignored in Contemporary
Voluntary Action Research: Causes and Consequences, he observes a phenomena within the
field sociological studies which the title of his piece so concisely denotes. At the time of
publishing, he offered as evidence the fact that major national sample surveys of the US that
provided lists of voluntary groups almost always omit churches. (Smith, 297) Not wholly on par

with Smiths findings and argument, it could be said that the phenomenon regarding an expected,
sometimes required, participation in the altruistic endeavors of religious institutions by its
leaders of its followers would serve to disqualify them from inclusion in the study of voluntary
action. After all, as posited above, are the majority of laity simply following suit and doing as
they believe is expected from them and only seeking ultimate reward for their actions or are they
genuinely committed to ensuring the wellbeing of others?

Service Learning, Morals and Ethics

How does Service Learning (SL) fit into the scope of what is being discussed herein?
There are several answers to this query, but we will attempt to remain within the limits of the
sociological and interdisciplinary phenomena associated with the constant scrutinizing of
altruism versus egoism. Wikipedia defines SL as a method of teaching that combines classroom
instruction with meaningful community service which emphasizes critical thinking and personal
reflection while encouraging a heightened sense of community, civic engagement, and personal
responsibility. I was recently made aware of the practice of SL by a professor at OCC after
having shared with her a socioeconomic improvement plan to tackle the prevalence of poverty
and homelessness in Ocean County.
This is, in some ways, concurrent with the phenomenon explained above regarding ones
obligatory participation in institutional religious altruistic endeavors, yet opposite in the sense
that students are generally presented with the opportunity to choose their academic path. And SL
seeks an obvious two fold ends; the betterment of others lives and surrounding in one way or
another as well as the students own academic advancement and attaining credentials as well as
eventual viable employment. Ultimately, is one goal more important than the other; does it and
should it matter that the student may simply wish to be recognized for their own individual
achievement or is the mere fact that SL facilitates and necessitates the students involvement in
the promotion of a greater good?
When considering the altruism-egoism paradigm one cannot help but see the possibility
of two ultimate goals, as mentioned previously. One, the wellbeing of others; secondly, the selfgratification and ego boost that comes with recognition and regard. We may be faced with this
conundrum for eternity. Who is to say which is right and which is wrong? Ideally, the outcome

should qualify and justify the methods used to reach it. But if the outcome, while focusing on a
greater good, largely ignores and dismisses the damage done while attempting to attain it then
what good have we truly done?

Bibliography and Works Cited

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