Why a lack of empathy is the root of all evil
05 April 2011, 09:32 AM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Disco, Disco!
Posts: 21,825
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why a lack of empathy is the root of all evil
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...l-2262371.html
An interesting read
Lucy Adeniji – an evangelical Christian and author of two books on childcare – trafficked two girls and a 21-year-old woman from Nigeria to work as slaves in her east London home. She made them toil for 21 hours a day and tortured them if they displeased her. The youngest girl was 11 years old.
Sentencing her to 11-and-a-half years in prison last month, Judge Simon Oliver said: "You are an evil woman. I have no doubt you have ruined these two girls' lives. They will suffer from the consequences of the behaviour you meted out to them for the rest of their lives."
Most people would probably agree with Judge Oliver's description of Adeniji as evil, but Simon Baron-Cohen, professor of developmental psychopathology at the University of Cambridge, would not be one of them. In his latest book, Zero Degrees of Empathy: A new theory of human cruelty, Baron-Cohen, argues that the term evil is unscientific and unhelpful. "Sometimes the term evil is used as a way to stop an inquiry," Baron-Cohen tells me. "'This person did it because they're evil' – as if that were an explanation."
An interesting read
Lucy Adeniji – an evangelical Christian and author of two books on childcare – trafficked two girls and a 21-year-old woman from Nigeria to work as slaves in her east London home. She made them toil for 21 hours a day and tortured them if they displeased her. The youngest girl was 11 years old.
Sentencing her to 11-and-a-half years in prison last month, Judge Simon Oliver said: "You are an evil woman. I have no doubt you have ruined these two girls' lives. They will suffer from the consequences of the behaviour you meted out to them for the rest of their lives."
Most people would probably agree with Judge Oliver's description of Adeniji as evil, but Simon Baron-Cohen, professor of developmental psychopathology at the University of Cambridge, would not be one of them. In his latest book, Zero Degrees of Empathy: A new theory of human cruelty, Baron-Cohen, argues that the term evil is unscientific and unhelpful. "Sometimes the term evil is used as a way to stop an inquiry," Baron-Cohen tells me. "'This person did it because they're evil' – as if that were an explanation."
05 April 2011, 11:23 AM
#2
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 39,877
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Empathy is an interesting word. It may well mean the ability to understand or to associate yourself with another person's situation, but does not necessarily indicate the wish to actually do anything about it.
What really counts I think is "thought for others" which means that not only that you understand how someone else can be affected by their situation but that you also feel that you personally are prepared to help that person out should they need it and that you would not wish to do anything to make another person's situation worse than it is.
Les
What really counts I think is "thought for others" which means that not only that you understand how someone else can be affected by their situation but that you also feel that you personally are prepared to help that person out should they need it and that you would not wish to do anything to make another person's situation worse than it is.
Les
05 April 2011, 11:50 AM
#3
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: riding the crest of a wave ...
Posts: 46,493
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes
on
12 Posts
Nigerians aint they , normally pretty dodgy at the best o times , probably some kind of vodoo ****e going on
Weve only just outlawed having a slave in this country i believe ,
What on earth this proff guy has to do with the case is anyones guess tho
Weve only just outlawed having a slave in this country i believe ,
What on earth this proff guy has to do with the case is anyones guess tho
05 April 2011, 11:53 AM
#4
I'm not sure about this; Whilst empathy gives us respect and consideration for others. The lack of empathy is not what makes a person go beyond what is considered legal or 'right'.
Like I don't really empahise with the person I drove past with a flat tyre - sh*t happens. But does that make me a bad person? Inconsiderate, yes. Selfish, maybe. But someone who seeks out to harm others? Most certainly not.
In some cases a psychopath does emphsise with their victim(s); As in some cases what they inflict on their victim(s) is the same as what they may have experienced themselves in their earlier life.
Like I don't really empahise with the person I drove past with a flat tyre - sh*t happens. But does that make me a bad person? Inconsiderate, yes. Selfish, maybe. But someone who seeks out to harm others? Most certainly not.
In some cases a psychopath does emphsise with their victim(s); As in some cases what they inflict on their victim(s) is the same as what they may have experienced themselves in their earlier life.
05 April 2011, 11:55 AM
#5
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Disco, Disco!
Posts: 21,825
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
05 April 2011, 01:16 PM
#8
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Sunny BELFAST
Posts: 19,408
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
andy97
Computer & Technology Related
12
16 September 2015 08:07 PM
Welloilbeefhooked
General Technical
0
11 September 2015 06:49 PM
