Recently there has been some emotional debate, where people have propped their emotions above proper scientific observation. Of course, these emotional apoplexies are quite interesting, sometimes strange, and other times quite psychotic in behavior. Due to these recent tantrums it has inspired me to start this thread. I would like to discuss the science of empathy and how it relates to scientific observation. There are cultures that find oral kissing repulsive and instead smell or rub noses. Consider a person from this non-kissing culture looking at two American’s deep in a each other, French kissing. Now, at first this person will feel a sense of repulsion initially at the Americans. But, if they were to look at things objectively like a scientist, they must represent the behavior that actually is occurring. They must empathize. Now, empathy may be hard in such a situation, because culturally planted or innate personal emotions can block the actual neural systems from activating for the person observing to understand what is happening. But, it is possible. The must think like Eberhard Arnold famously said, "Only those who look with the eyes of children can lose themselves". This is how a scientist thinks. They are only interested in an honest view of things. When a person is able to do this, they are able to empathize, they are not imposing their view on nature; instead, they are letting nature impose the truth of the situation upon them. This can be done not only with observation of human behavior, but objects and other phenomena. Here are a few situations where this can be applied: - A straight person looking upon gays holding hands in public. - A strict Jew looking at a person munching on Pork Rinds. - A Christian looking at an Atheist man with his three Atheist wives. - An American prosecutor watching a 25 year old female Canadian give filatio to a 15 year old boy. I contend that you cannot be scientific if you rely upon your cultural planted emotions or your own personal innate preference when viewing any behavior as moral, legal or deviant. What are you thoughts?
Sure only those who look with the eyes of children can lose themselves but according to Jesus only those who look with the eyes of children can see the kingdom of heaven. Take your pick!
Few, if any, people can turn off their emotions and completely ignore all of their socially implanted ideals. In fact, I would say that people who can actually do that, are people that would normally be called such terms as "anti-social", "deviant", "mentally challenged", "crazy", ...., and a whole host of other such derogatory terms. If you don't think so, try to remember how normal people viewed Mr. Spock on the Star Trek series and movies ...he was a freak! Okay, as a test, turn off your emotions and social teachings for one full day and see how well you get along. Baron Max
? Where do we find that scene, plausibly? And I'm not too sure looking at things "objectively" and having "empathy" are all that mutually supportive. Empathy seems a powerful means of understanding, but it is also famous for leading the observer astray - it seems to me that empathy works better if continually corrected by more objective observation and rigorous argument.
And? And? Is there such a thing? But again, and? The prosecutor fails in his/her duty if they do not call the police immediately and arrest the teacher for breaking the law. And I contend that you don't quite understand the meaning of empathy and human emotions and how we as humans apply both to our social interaction and to the law.
