What is empathy philosophy?
Philosophers usually use ’empathy’ to refer to an emotional reaction to another person’s emotion or situation that matches, more or less, what the other person feels or is expected to feel, and that has as its object the other person.
What is your understanding of empathy?
Empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place. Essentially, it is putting yourself in someone else’s position and feeling what they must be feeling.
Why is it important to understand the concept of empathy?
The concept of empathy is used to refer to a wide range of psychological capacities that are thought of as being central for constituting humans as social creatures allowing us to know what other people are thinking and feeling, to emotionally engage with them, to share their thoughts and feelings, and to care for their well–being.
What does it mean to be an empathetic leader?
Empathetic behavior from leaders shows employees they are valued, are being heard, and are appreciated, which in turn boosts morale, engagement, and retention. As such, CEOs and other leaders should attend to the empathy gap and work to align their perceptions of empathy with the point of view of their employees.
When did Edward Titchener invent the term empathy?
Historical Introduction Before the psychologist Edward Titchener (1867–1927) introduced the term “empathy” in 1909 into the English language as the translation of the German term “Einfühlung” (or “feeling into”), “sympathy”was the term commonly used to refer to empathy-related phenomena.
How is empathy a building block of morality?
For more: Read Frans de Waal’s essay on “ The Evolution of Empathy ” and Daniel Goleman’s overview of different forms of empathy, drawing on the work of Paul Ekman. Why Practice It? Empathy is a building block of morality—for people to follow the Golden Rule, it helps if they can put themselves in someone else’s shoes.