Case against empathy - Page 3

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I think I disagree with the OP's definition of EMPATHY. I just googled to be sure and it is defined as the ability to see & understand another's feeling. That does not aty all fit the description the OP gave where the person feels compulsion to act on the other person's feelings. Instead it describes a person who can see things from everyone's POV .An empathetic person would make a great judge because they see all parties side of the story.

Quse · ‎09-05-2014

@151949 wrote:
I think I disagree with the OP's definition of EMPATHY. I just googled to be sure and it is defined as the ability to see & understand another's feeling. That does not aty all fit the description the OP gave where the person feels compulsion to act on the other person's feelings. Instead it describes a person who can see things from everyone's POV .An empathetic person would make a great judge because they see all parties side of the story.

I wouldn't want a judge deciding with empathy. I want a judge to look at the evidence in a case and apply law, not emotions and feelings.

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

I consider myself an empathetic person. It served me very well in my career as an advisor to university students who were having academic problems. It helped me with their parents too. It bothers me that some people are unable to feel and understand the pain of others. Without naming names, there are quite a few people we see in the news these days who could benefit from an infusion of empathy and compassion.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@Vivian You don't have to feel someone else's feelings in order to understand them. Empathy is understanding another's feelings - not feeling them as well. I did not have to feel my patient's physical pain in order to realize it and treat it.When a patient was short of breath I did not have to be short of breath as well to understand his discomfort and treat it.

rustee · ‎03-09-2010

2017 legacy ~ empathy has bit the dust!

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@Quse wrote:
@151949 wrote:
I think I disagree with the OP's definition of EMPATHY. I just googled to be sure and it is defined as the ability to see & understand another's feeling. That does not aty all fit the description the OP gave where the person feels compulsion to act on the other person's feelings. Instead it describes a person who can see things from everyone's POV .An empathetic person would make a great judge because they see all parties side of the story.
I wouldn't want a judge deciding with empathy. I want a judge to look at the evidence in a case and apply law, not emotions and feelings.

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@Quse

People are more complex than merely having one trait. Most people have some degree of empathy. It's a good thing to have because the opposite is a lack of understanding and a lack of the ability to read people.

Empathy has nothing to do with logic and reason, and being empathetic does not mean someone cannot recognize when someone else has done something wrong.

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@Vivian Florimond wrote:
I consider myself an empathetic person. It served me very well in my career as an advisor to university students who were having academic problems. It helped me with their parents too. It bothers me that some people are unable to feel and understand the pain of others. Without naming names, there are quite a few people we see in the news these days who could benefit from an infusion of empathy and compassion.

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Empathy is a good thing @Vivian

And having read posts of yours on Among Friends, I know you are an empathetic person.

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

@Noel7

I don't consider Ayn Rand or those who read or agreed with her to be sociopaths. Now Saul Alinsky?

hckynut(john)

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@hckynut wrote:

@Noel7

I don't consider Ayn Rand or those who read or agreed with her to be sociopaths. Now Saul Alinsky?

hckynut(john)

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@hckynut

If you have evidence that Ayn Rand was a woman who showed compassion for others and the ability to care about her fellow man, I'd be happy to hear about it.

BTW, I didn't refer to her readers, please don't imply that I did.