Empathy. The subjective experience of putting yourself in
another’s shoes.
Not visualizing something happening to them, but imagining
how they might feel. One could call that just as subjective an experience as
thinking rationally, or feeling emotions.
Empathy isn’t really an emotion. It’s a way of thought.
Emotions we’ve defined as physical feelings. Empathy doesn’t quite fit into
that. Empathy can be deeper kindness towards other people, other animals, and
our kin.
Really understanding intuitively that they are just another
sentient being with free will in this world. To feel sorry for them when
something horrible happens. To be able to put yourself in someone’s shoes and
imagine how they are thinking. To get wrapped up in their joy, their anger. The
way moods are contagious.
Empathy truly is simply being aware that other people are
going through life too.
We base a good amount of our laws and societal morals on the
idea of a deep understanding and respect towards others, their property, their
sense of ownership, and their feelings.
“He has feelings too, you know!” is just another way to
state that one should recognize and be aware that there are other beings with their
own set of awarenesses regarding this universe.
As such, one can define empathy as a sense. A sense, which
we previously defined as an awareness of some aspect of our universe. Not quite
an emotion, and not quite a logical thought. Something else entirely.
Our senses list now looks like the following:
| Sense | Awareness of... |
|---|---|
| Sight | Photons |
| Sound | Energy Waves |
| Touch | Nuclear Force |
| Taste | Chemical Structure |
| Smell | Chemical Structure |
| Emotions | Hormone Levels |
| Logic/Rationality | Mathematics |
| Empathy | Other Awarenesses |
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