BLUF

This article examines how our capacity for empathy can be used for good or evil; illustrating how an empathetic person can turn to support or charity work, or manipulate people for personal gain.

Summary

  1. Empathy is often considered a combination of ‘theory of mind’ and ‘compassion’. 
  2. Theory of mind is our ability to infer what other people are thinking.
  3. On its own, theory of mind is morally neutral.
  4. Knowing what someone is feeling isn’t motivation to help—compassion is.
READ: Everyday Philosophy: How much empathy is too much empathy?

References