The relation between consciousness and feeling of empathy is an intriguing one. Empathy is manifested with most people, but to various degrees. For some of us, it is quite central and a representation of who we are or who we strive to be.
It makes us able to relate and identify with others, which in turn means we are conscious of our interdependency. Yet, there may be feelings that we have as a result of empathy that we are not quite conscious of. The question is how much of it the result of our moral awareness and system of values that we take for granted.
Key Takeaways:
- Empathy requires a conscious awareness of ourselves and the knowledge that others think and feel what we think and feel.
- Phenomenal consciousness – which relates to the vividness of subjective experience – is deeply linked to empathy and moral standing.
- Rationality doesn’t necessarily require a conscious component, but morality and empathy do.
“Empathy is central to the human condition. Without it we would not be able to relate to others. We would not have the moral codes that we have. We would not be able to enjoy theatre or music or art (in fact, the name of a European film chain called Pathé essentially means suffering).”
More details: here
References:
- Psychology Today (Website)
- ACynicalRebel (YouTube Channel)
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