Principles of Dialogue and Reasoned Argument |
In previous posts, I argued that empathy, expressed in different ways—as feelings of compassion, an abhorrence of cruelty, and a wider circle of concern—is the core of a liberal worldview and a liberal political philosophy. I added, however, several important caveats: Liberals are not always empathic, conservatives are not always callous, and policies animated by empathy are not always wise. The importance of empathy to liberalism also does not mean that, in the midst of a political argument, liberals will always (or even usually) be empathic toward their opponents. Liberals are not immune from arrogance, one-sidedness, and ideological certainty—serious (and sometimes fatal) impediments to constructive discussion and finding common ground.
In today's post, I will discuss empathy in a related, but somewhat different sense. Empathy is a basic human need and a catalyst for dialogue and mutual understanding, regardless of our political beliefs.
Empathy is an instinctive, unconscious emotional response to the feelings of others. It is also a conscious choice—a deliberate and often difficult effort to suspend judgment, to hear another person's story, to imagine ourselves in similar life........