De la voluntad moral por empatizar

Of the moral Will to empathise

Abstract

This paper is based on two assumptions. The first is sentimentalist and advocates recognising the role of feelings within our moral universe, but not in order to put a silk glove on reason, but recognising the language of those feelings, which we must therefore learn to speak, recognise their syntax, their discursive organisation, etc. The second is that these feelings are communicated through empathy. The text then develops what empathy involves, namely: (a) a moral effort to be empathetic, which is proposed as the moral imperative of empathy, (b) understanding the harm of others as one's own and therefore trying to eliminate it, and finally, (c) a fine-tuning of empathy that is done with stories, tales and, above all, examples. The latter is proposed as the necessary work of the moralist.

Keywords: Empathy, Moral Education, Sentimentalism.