Is an empathatic society better than a logical/rational one?

Question

We are not the self-interested creatures, and our highest goals and state of development is that of the empathic human, interested in the well being of others.

This video explains it well - what do you guys think?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7AWnfFRc7g

Answer 1

Empathy is useless from a biological perspective. Rational self-interest naturally tends to serve the large community because doing what is good for everyone is rendered good for you personally. For example, if I cheat you at the bank than I'd lose my job. If I'm honest with you in business than I'm rewarded with your business.



Empathy is not a measure of intellect or stupidity but rather a tool. That's not to say that empathy and intelligence aren't intimately related - studies show they are. That is to say that empathy serves the primary purpose of making men susceptible to following social currents by guilt mechanism. I suspect intelligence and empathy are related because Intelligent people are more privileged and better informed in general and therefore are aware of more things that they might feel guilty about.



I read earlier this morning a quote from MLK who supposedly commented that the most dangerous person is the rational criminal. Thankfully, there are relatively few criminals and many fewer rational people.



@No Chance, according to what you're saying I'd expect the science to more accurately indicate that rationality is not learned but rather innate. It is the logical justification for the process of articulating/rationalizing reason that is learned. People do always make rational choices in economics (within the bounds of the information available to them). The bounds of rationality itself is impacted by the behavior of the larger group. There is no individual rationality in macro-economics.

Answer 2

Since humans aren't rational, there can never be a rational society. This isn't even a subject in debate, this is well-established scientific fact. It's confirmed by biology, sociology, psychology, politics, law, business, and history.



There seem to be some theists and atheists alike who misunderstand what logic and reason are. Logic and reason aren't qualities humans have....they are devices we can choose to use. But they don't come innately, they must be learned, trained, developed, and consciously applied. Just like any other tool.



(Side note - The above is the reason capitalist economists are so terrible at making predictions. A key assumption of capitalist economics is that people always make rational choices.)

Answer 3

So, your highest goal is the well being of others? To be empathetic? Am I correct I presuming this is what you intended to spell?



At any rate, a person whose highest goal is the well being of others would not reply to polite answers on Yahoo Answers with sarcastic, mean-spirited snippy insults, wouldn't you say? Or is your personal highest goal something a little closer to your baser nature, basing this inquiry on having been on the receiving end of some of your jollier quips?



To answer your simple question, a balanced society needs both. But I'm sure you are so smart, you already knew that.

Answer 4

I must correct you on your point to James k: anti-theism is an emotional state. atheism is not as any atheist would know. Only a theist would say that atheism is emotional when it is the opposite of that. It is merely a lack of belief.



Granted, there are atheist who feel that their lives were raped by Christiaity, and they are still angry -- justifiably so.



Your take on the fine video is lacking in understanding. You ARE speaking mutually exclusive talk whereas the video is not.

Answer 5

We need both. Emotions give us priorities, reasons for living. Logic and rationality allows us to pick out things that will lead to those goals being satisfied.



If you don't care about logic, then you can't make up your mind in a way that makes any sense. Everything is just random decisions while hoping for a certain result. If you don't care about empathy, you won't be able to participate in a cooperative society. One doesn't exist on its own for us.

Answer 6

We need both. Without empathy we cannot be a society. We are social mammals. WIthout empathy, we wouldn't be. Without logic or reason, we would never have made anything or built anything or have language or medicines. We would be like the other apes.

Answer 7

Emotion is not the opposite of intelligence, logic or reasoning. The opposite of those things is stupidity.

Answer 8

I don't see the two being that opposed, an emphatic society would be a rational one.

Answer 9

The fact that you see that as mutually exclusive tells us a lot about how you think.

Answer 10

How about both an empathetic and rational society, since religions are ofttimes neither?

Answer 11

I am vacant of empathy so I am not qualified to decide.