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💡 Philanthropists strive for that form of pure altruism, altruism with no commodifiable benefit. This doc outlines that ultimate giving, which I have termed “Aveblen Giving.” A secular ethic of selflessness.
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How to Give? (A Preface)
Before we begin, I must note
- Just give. Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis, but
- You can always give better. Record lessons on giving, and=[
- Work toward defined goals. This document came from me asking, “How can I give better?” I hope it helps you give better too.
What is Aveblen Giving?
Aveblen Giving offers no commodifiable benefit to the giver. In other words, Aveblen Giving is purely altruistic.
Value and Hypocrisy of Aveblen Giving
Aveblen Giving has a big hypocrisy: Abeblen gifts offer no value to the giver, but value can be found in anything. For now, we must just accept that hypocrisy as an imperfect aspect of Aveblen Giving. That’s not to say Aveblen Giving can’t be perfectly altruistic. Anyone engaged in Aveblen Giving works toward perfect altruism like anyone engaged in science works toward a perfect truth. We unlock better giving through Aveblen Giving, working toward infinite value.
Infinite Value
Here is the mathematical basis for Aveblen Giving:
- Zero and Infinity: The function $( f(x) = frac{1}{x} )$ approaches zero as $( x )$ goes to infinity. Conversely, as $( x )$ approaches zero, $( f(x) )$ approaches infinity. This illustrates that a value approaching zero can have infinite implications.
- Infinite Series: The series $( sum_{n=1}^{infty} frac{1}{2^n} )$ converges to $1$, showing that an infinite sum of small, seemingly valueless terms can add up to a finite, significant value.
- Limits: In calculus, as $( x )$ approaches zero, the limit of $( frac{1}{x} )$ is infinity, indicating that an infinitesimally small value can lead to an infinitely large result.
- Null Space: In linear algebra, the null space of a matrix, while consisting of vectors that map to zero, forms an essential solution space, demonstrating that a seemingly valueless set can have infinite importance.
- Aveblen Giving: If Aveblen Giving is intended to approach zero value for the giver, this mirrors how in mathematics, values approaching zero can result in infinite outcomes. While the giver strives to gain zero value, they are achieving an infinite value in that pursuit. The “infinite value” is perfect altruism, and perfect altruism is the goal of Aveblen Giving.
That is Aveblen’s calculus, but most people will find Aveblen’s value in simpler terms.
Simple Value
Beyond the very real hypocrisy that all value is commodifiable, there are some common sense benefits of Aveblen Giving.