Book · 2016 · Psychology
Against Empathy
The Case for Rational Compassion
- mentions
- 10
- people
- 5
- podcasts
- 4
- episodes
- 8
- critical mentions
- 0
There's an entire book Paul Bloomro called Against Empathy. It's like why you shouldn't have it. He optimizes for something else.
Chris Williamson · Modern Wisdom · May 2026 Listen at 1:50:41 What they say about it
- Authored by psychologist Paul Bloom“a book called Against Empathy”3
- Explores the case for rational compassion“the case for rational compassion”2
The best things said about it
Um, and I first learned about this uh from a book called Against Empathy by um by Paul Bloom, who's a psychologist.
Paul Bloom, which is a Yale psychologist who wrote a book called Against Empathy.
Your view that there's too much empathy, you wrote a book called Against Empathy.
Tyler Cowen Conversations with Tyler · Aug 2024 Paul Bloom wrote about his book was called Against Empathy the case for rational compassion.
Professor Paul Bloom from the University of Yale the other day and he recently wrote a book called Against Empathy, The Case for Rational Compassion.
Chris Williamson Modern Wisdom · Nov 2019 Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
How it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
5 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Against Empathy by Paul Bloom is a psychology book that argues against relying on empathy as a moral guide, suggesting instead that rational compassion leads to better ethical outcomes. Chris Williamson promoted the book during the outro of an episode of Modern Wisdom and later brought it up to explore the complexities and potential downsides of emotional resonance. Gurwinder Bhogal also discussed the book on the podcast, noting how Bloom's research demonstrates that empathy often functions as in-group loyalty and can foster hostility toward out-groups. Allie Beth Stuckey mentioned the work when discussing critiques of toxic empathy, while Tyler Cowen questioned Bloom directly about the underlying emotions motivating his thesis on Conversations with Tyler. On No Stupid Questions, Angela Duckworth examined the author's position on the spectrum between empathy and sympathy, highlighting his status as a prominent psychologist known for challenging conventional moral assumptions.
Every mention
Chris Williamson like share and subscribe down below links to against empathy 3
“There's an entire book Paul Bloomro called Against Empathy. It's like why you shouldn't have it. He optimizes for something else.”
“Interestingly, I spoke to Professor Paul Bloom from the University of Yale the other day and he recently wrote a book called Against Empathy, The Case for Rational Compassion.”
“like share and subscribe down below links to against empathy”
Angela Duckworth there's a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto named Paul Bloom are you famili with Paul I… 2
“there's a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto named Paul Bloom are you famili with Paul I know Paul so he wrote a book you may have read called against empathy”
“so this is what Paul Bloom wrote about his book was called against empathy the case for rational compassion and Matt nailed it in terms of the effect”
Allie Beth Stuckey I heard Abigail Shrier first say this, and I think she might have even gotten this from Paul Bloom, which i… 1
“I heard Abigail Shrier first say this, and I think she might have even gotten this from Paul Bloom, which is a Yale psychologist who wrote a book called against empathy.”
Gurwinder Bhogal Um, and I first learned about this uh from a book called Against Empathy by um by Paul Bloom, who's a psych… 1
“Um, and I first learned about this uh from a book called Against Empathy by um by Paul Bloom, who's a psychologist.”
Tyler Cowen Your view that there's too much empathy, you wrote a book called Against Empathy. What emotion in you does… 1
“Your view that there's too much empathy, you wrote a book called Against Empathy. What emotion in you does that come from?”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker2
“So he wrote a book you may have read called 'Against Empathy.' So where do you think he falls on the spectrum of this? I know because I know the book!”
“and so this is what Paul Bloom wrote about his book was called against empathy the case for rational compassion and Matt nailed it in terms of the effect”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
“and I was my most recent book against against empathy and and I'm interested in closer if they're not addressed in the self”
“so some days I regret calling my book against empathy because the word empathy has a lot of meanings”
“and right so I hadn't booked against empathy and the subtitle is the case for rational compassion”