Empathy in Connection to Justice

Empathy is a category term for capacities related to perspective-taking and sharing in another’s experiences. It is valuable for bridging human connections and motivating us to take initiative to help others. However, empathy is notoriously biased. We empathize more with those who look like us, people we know, and those with higher social status. Moreover, empathy motivates good actions in the short term, not over the long term. With these things in mind, this talk addresses empathy in connection to justice. It explores other emotions, such as sympathy and compassion, that support care work. And it emphasizes the importance of acting from well-ordered habits of care, rather of relying on emotional connections, to motivate just actions.