A Comparative Study of the Place of Altruism in the Theory of Moral Training According to John White and Martyr Morteza Motahhari

This research is intended to have a comparative study on the place of altruism in the moral training of John White and Martyr Morteza Motahhari. This is a theoretical research conducted in a comparative analytical method for comparing the theories of moral training of John White and Martyr Morteza Motahhari. This research is aimed at answering the question of what sharing points as well as differences exist between altruism theories of White and Motahhari in the field of moral training. The research came to the result that both scholars settle the issue of altruism in the theory of moral training by adopting a unifying approach. Regarding personal well-being, White places the interests of others and personal interests under the title of well-being, while Motahhari, by presenting his theory of true self and developing the concept of self, emphasizes that the conflicting point must be turned from self and others to self and true self in the moral training. Hence, both thinkers believe in psychological altruism on the basis of weak interpretation, meaning that human beings can do something to benefit others. According to White, the ultimate goal of moral training encompasses the well-being of educators. Motahhari, however, based on Islamic teachings, considers the ultimate goal of moral training as intimacy to God. Moreover, due to the fundamental intellectual-philosophical differences between the ideas of White and Motahhari, White rejects religion and pursues training in a completely liberal-democratic context. On the contrary, Motahhari uses religious teachings to validate his views.