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  • Why Empathy Matters: The Science and Psychology of Better Judgment by J. D. Trout book cover
  • Why Empathy Matters: The Science and Psychology of Better Judgment by J. D. Trout book cover
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Why Empathy Matters: The Science and Psychology of Better Judgment

by J. D. Trout

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A case for judging empathy by the decisions it helps us make

$23.14 USD
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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A case for judging empathy by the decisions it helps us make

J. D. Trout examines a tension at the heart of compassionate decision-making: sympathy for visible suffering does not necessarily lead to choices that improve the most lives. Bringing together psychology, behavioral economics, and neuroscience, the book considers how human empathic responses can distort judgment at both personal and policy levels. Trout frames the challenge as an “empathy gap” between immediate feeling and effective action, then presents a proposal for narrowing it. The emphasis is on the cognitive forces behind decisions and on applying that understanding to choices with broader social consequences.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in cognitive psychology and human judgment
  • Those exploring behavioral economics and decision-making
  • Readers interested in empathy’s role in public policy and social welfare

Themes

Empathy and judgmentCognitive biasDecision-makingBehavioral economicsPublic policy

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

A road map to empathic and efficient decisions and policies, constructed from new insights in the science of human judgment

Faced with another's suffering, human beings feel sympathy and may even be moved to charity. However, for all our good intentions and vaunted free will, we are lousy at making the bigger decisions that actually improve lives. Why? Drawing on his sweeping and innovative research in the fields of psychology, behavioral economics, and neuroscience, philosopher and cognitive scientist J. D. Trout explains how our empathic wiring actually undermines the best interests of individuals and society. However, it is possible to bridge this "empathy gap" and improve our decision-making. Here, Trout offers a tantalizing proposal- how to vault that gap and improve the lives of not just ourselves but the lives of everyone all around the world.
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