Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion

When writing his witty condemnation of empathy, Paul Bloom discovered being against it was like “being against kittens”. But, he argues, empathy is a poor moral guide in almost all realms of life. It biases us in favour of individuals who remind us of ourselves, while numbing us to the plight of thousands. Using the latest scientific research, Against Empathy mounts a provocative, cogent case for using our heads over our hearts.

Chair: Jon Jureidini

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Paul Bloom is Professor of Psychology at Yale University, the author of Against Empathy: A Case for Rational Compassion, and an internationally recognised expert on the psychology of language, social reasoning, morality and art.

Jon Jureidini is a child psychiatrist who heads Adelaide University’s Critical and Ethical Mental Health research group and the Paediatric Mental Health Training Unit. He is chair of Australian-Palestinian Partnerships in Education and Health.

Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion

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