Question

If someone does a kind deed but has a selfish motive, does that impact the goodness of the deed?

Answer 1

I would say yes the act is considered less altruistic and more self-serving

Answer 2

idk like that's a tough one because it just depends how you look at it. like one hand, the act itself helping someone or doing something good like still happens and than can have a positive impact. but on the other hand if the person is motivated by selfish reasons it just kind of raises the questions about their true intentions

Answer 3

If a billionaire saves a child's life by paying for their surgery just for publicity, that is still a good thing. The child is alive because of it. What is affected is the sense of that person we will have when we learn that is was selfishly motivated. We don't consider that person to be 'good,' even though the action and its result was good for the child.

So those aren't mutually exclusive. A selfish motive doesn't diminish the deed itself, but it does diminish the perception of the person who did the deed.