What role does empathy play in our social, moral, and political life? What are its limits? Can we be ethical without it?

In an age of stark political division and inequality, kindness seems a rare commodity and the failings in our social, moral, and political life are often thought to stem from a lack of empathy. For others, empathy leads to biased decision-making and distracts us from addressing society’s structural problems. But what is empathy? What are its limits? Can there be empathy between humans and other animals? Can our societal and political problems be alleviated without it, or is an ethical life impossible without empathy? Join Nadine El-Enany, David Harradine, and Danielle Sands as they explore the nature of empathy.

Laura Cull Ó Maoilearca (@LauraCull) is a Professor and Head of the DAS Graduate School at the Academy of Theatre and Dance in Amsterdam.

Nadine El-Enany (@NadineElEnany) is a Senior Lecturer in Law, Birkbeck.

Danielle Sands (@DanielleCSands) is a Lecturer in Comparative Literature and Thought at RHUL.

Sarah Fine (@DrSJFine) is a Fellow of the Forum for Philosophy at LSE and Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at King's College.

The Forum for Philosophy (@forumphilosophy) is a non-profit organization that hosts weekly events exploring science, politics, and the arts from a philosophical perspective.

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