Empathy and Fairness

Empathy is the process that allows us to share the feelings and emotions of others, in the absence of any direct emotional stimulation to the self. Humans can feel empathy for other people in a wide array of contexts: for basic emotions and sensation such as anger, fear, sadness, joy, pain and lust as well as for more complex emotions such as guilt, embarrassment and love. It has been proposed that, for most people, empathy is the process that prevents us doing harm to others. Although empathy seems to be an automatic response of the brain to others emotional reactions, there are circumstances under which we do not share the same feeling as others. Imagine, for example, that someone who does the same job as you is paid twice as much. In this case, that person might be very satisfied with their extra salary, but you would not share this satisfaction. This case illustrates the ubiquitous feeling of fairness and justice. Our sense of fairness has also become the focus of modern economic theories. In contrast to the prominent self-interest hypothesis of classic economy assuming that all people are exclusively motivated by their self-interest, humans are also strongly motivated by other-regarding preferences such as the concern for fairness and reciprocity. The notion of fairness is not only crucial in personal interaction with others in the context of families, workplace or interactions with strangers, but also guides people s behaviour in impersonal economic and political domains. This book brings together work from a wide range of disciplines to explain processes underlying empathy and fairness. The expert contributors approach the topic of empathy and fairness from different viewpoints, namely those of social cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, evolutionary anthropology, economics and neuropathology. The result is an interdisciplinary and unitary framework focused on the neuronal, developmental, evolutionary and psychological basis of empathy and fairness. With its extensive discussions and the high calibre of the participants, this important new book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in this topic.

Empathy is the process that allows us to share the feelings andemotions of others, in the absence of any direct emotionalstimulation to the self. Humans can feel empathy for other peoplein a wide array of contexts: for basic emotions and sensation suchas anger, fear, sadness, joy, pain and lust as well as for morecomplex emotions such as guilt, embarrassment and love. It has beenproposed that, for most people, empathy is the process thatprevents us doing harm to others.Although empathy seems to be an automatic response of the brainto others' emotional reactions, there are circumstances underwhich we do not share the same feeling as others. Imaginefor example, that someone who does the same job as you is paidtwice as much. In this case, that person might be very satisfiedwith their extra salary, but you would not share this satisfaction.This case illustrates the ubiquitous feeling of fairness andjustice.Our sense of fairness has also become the focus of moderneconomic theories. In contrast to the prominent self-interesthypothesis of classic economy assuming that all people areexclusively motivated by their self-interest, humans are alsostrongly motivated by other-regarding preferences such as theconcern for fairness and reciprocity. The notion of fairness is notonly crucial in personal interaction with others in the context offamilies, workplace or interactions with strangers, but also guidespeople's behaviour in impersonal economic and politicaldomains.This book brings together work from a wide range of disciplinesto explain processes underlying empathy and fairness. The expertcontributors approach the topic of empathy and fairness fromdifferent viewpoints, namely those of social cognitiveneuroscience, developmental psychology, evolutionary anthropologyeconomics and neuropathology. The result is an interdisciplinaryand unitary framework focused on the neuronal, developmentalevolutionary and psychological basis of empathy and fairness. Withits extensive discussions and the high calibre of the participantsthis important new book is essential reading for anyone with aninterest in this topic.

Symposium on Empathy and Fairness, held at the Novartis FoundationLondon, 25-27 October 2005.Editors: Greg Bock (Organizer) and Jamie Goode.This symposium is based on a proposal made by Chris Frith, UtaFrith, Tania Singer and Sarah-Jayne Blakemore.Introduction (Chris Frith).Embodied simulation: from mirror neuron systems to interpersonalrelations (Vittorio Gallese).Discussion.The neuronal basis of empathy and fairness (TaniaSinger).Discussion.What's fair? The unconscious calculus of our moral faculty(Marc Hauser).Discussion.Chimpanzees may recognize motives and goals, but may not reckonon them (Josep Call and Keith Jensen).Discussion.Empathy-related responding and prosocial behaviour (NancyEisenberg).Discussion.General discussion I.A social interaction analysis of empathy and fairness (PaulA. M. Van Lange, Marcello Gallucci, Johan C. Karremans, AnthonKlapwijk and Chris Reinders Folmer).Discussion.Triggering the intentional stance (Raymond A. Mar and C. NeilMacrae).Discussion.Dissociable systems for empathy (R. James R. Blair).Discussion.Looking at other people: mechanisms for social perceptionrevealed in subjects with focal amygdala damage (RalphAdolphs).Discussion.Models of distributive justice (Jonathan Wolff).Discussion.When do we empathize? (Frédérique deVignemont)Discussion.Cooperation through moral commitment (Robert Frank).Discussion.Final Discussion.Index of Contributors.Subject Index.