Is empathy always good? Well, one would say that like every other thing, it's good when within limit. But now "limit" itself has very personalized form and definition.
And the worst thing is it affects, interferes and even directs your actions and rational behavior even without you realizing about it. Thinking? Disagreeing? Just think of some instance when you discovered about someone in your circle to be from the same school of thought (may be political ideology, (non)religious view, tradition, region etc), doesn’t it suddenly increase your comfort, respect, attachment for that person? Thinking from pure logical point of view, does being from same school of thought make the other person more trustworthy/useful/productive/capable?
Don't we support some sports teams/players based on our idea of region/country/religion/economic status and ignoring the fact which team has got more talent or which team has put in how much hard work?
What if you are conducting an interview, will you be able to control your bias unless you are aware of your natural bias? Very difficult indeed.
Another extreme is when you realize your natural bias and try to defeat the effect of this bias and being over-cautious, become negatively biased.
Is there any solution? How to maintain balance between rationality(or rationalism) and empathy?
Sorry, I don't have an answer :(
I am myself in search of..
1 comment:
Hey ! Good line of thoughts indeed.
"Western Science" which epitomizes concept of "Objectivity" for centuries has now come to a conclusive juncture where the question of the presumption, "objectivity" is contested and put to test. esp., in the field of "quantum mechanics" where the inquiry transcends not only Newtonian Law but also Einsteins theory of relativity.
One specific example is "Dual Nature" of electrons. How paradoxical is the inquiry, where Father "j.j Thompson" received noble for proving particle nature of electrons where as his son G.P Thompson received Noble for proving wave nature of electrons.
Conclusion: it depends on the premise of the Scientist conducting the experiment! Thus the Objectivity of Science was put to test and still contested till date...!
Did the notion of "Objectivity" ever existed in the very first place?
A good starting point to read further about these would be "Tao of Physics"...Hope you get some good inputs from it.
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