Empathy Quotient

[Edwardo Piet]

I don't have to. Paul Bloom did it for me.

Well here here is a rebuttal. I would not presume to offer my own opinion on this subject as I am not qualified to do so.

Food for thought, though. Who's argument sounds more reasonable?

Definitely Bloom's. Especially as that "rebuttal" is just a strawman of Bloom's actual argument.

[chimp3]

Empathy leads to more immorality than morality.

I'd love to hear you make the case that feeling for another's pain leads to more immorality than morality. I just can't see that.

I agree with Chimp about caring on principle. I guess that's how the fictional Vulcans would see it. One does not necessarily need empathy to see the value in providing care to those that need it. It can be rationalized as a worthy endeavor even it doesn't give you warm fuzzies.

Still, I have a hard time seeing how empathizing with another for their pain can rationalized as a bad thing.

I hope I did not portray empathy as a bad idea?

[Edwardo Piet]

I'd love to hear you make the case that feeling for another's pain leads to more immorality than morality. I just can't see that.

I agree with Chimp about caring on principle. I guess that's how the fictional Vulcans would see it. One does not necessarily need empathy to see the value in providing care to those that need it. It can be rationalized as a worthy endeavor even it doesn't give you warm fuzzies.

Still, I have a hard time seeing how empathizing with another for their pain can rationalized as a bad thing.

I hope I did not portray empathy as a bad idea?

You portrayed yourself saying caring is a far superior stance to empathy.

[The Valkyrie]

31

[Jackalope]

I think this test is FOS and designed by a tree huggin hippy.

I got a 25.

I scored a 20. My wife says that's absurd. I'm not so sure that it is, but her and my therapist whom I have known for about 10 years have told me I'm empathetic. On the other hand. I had a. psychology doctoral graduate student whom I have known for close to 25 tell me that I'm just good at faking it.

So, who's right?

[Edwardo Piet]

Who knows. I don't think this online test is accurate. I think it's accurate relative to most online tests. Which, I know, isn't saying much. At least it's formed by a proper psychologist, for instance.

Obviously anything really accurate would require much more than mere self-report.

[AFTT47]

I disagree. Bloom (as far as I can see) is arguing for revenge which I personally see as depraved. Please correct me if you believe Bloom is arguing for something different.

Hurting the person who hurt you may bring you emotional satisfaction but if so, that defines you as no better than the perpetrator.

How does hurting a perpetrator bring about good? Obviously, it doesn't. The only thing it might accomplish is making you feel good. But if you take pleasure in the pain of another (when that pain will do no good) then you are as depraved as the perpetrator.

True justice is removing the perpetrator from society and doing what we can to rehabilitate him/her.

The desire to hurt people because they hurt you is five-year-old mentality. If we wan't to evolve to become better than we are now, we need to rise above the childish concept of revenge.

[Little lunch]

I think Paul Bloom has a few good points, especially about extreme empathy and how it often damages the user.
Also, about policy making requiring more logic than empathy, considering the bias's we all have.
But I don't think he's brought anything new to the table.
I also don't think he's ever said that empathy brings about more immorality than non-empathy in general.
I think someone's reading between the lines.
It does strike me that non-empathetic people often can't stand to be wrong about anything. :-)

[Edwardo Piet]

I disagree. Bloom (as far as I can see) is arguing for revenge which I personally see as depraved. Please correct me if you believe Bloom is arguing for something different.

He's arguing AGAINST revenge. He's saying revenge is motivated be empathy. Did we read the same thing?

I agree, revenge is completely and utterly depraved and immoral.

[Catholic_Lady]

Interesting quiz. 76.