AGAINST EMPATHY The Case for Rational Compassion

Though listeners will need some patience to sort through the nuances of this philosophical broadside, narrator Karen Cass's affecting narration adds the dramatic flair needed to keep the action moving--even when the author's distinctions and arguments are challenging. Her confidence and appealing British diction provide the elegance needed to make Bloom's ruthless clarity digestible. The Yale professor says that empathy--feeling what others feel--is not a reliable way to make ethical decisions because it's subject to bias. Research shows it's more powerful toward individuals and small groups, people in dramatic situations, people who have familiar loyalties or noble values, and toward our own families and tribes. Bloom's discussion is a welcome reminder that emotional reactions can lead us down the wrong path if not examined with care. T.W. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2017]