Episode · No Stupid Questions · 2024-06-16
Books mentioned on 200. What’s the Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy?
Can you ever really know how another person feels? What’s the best way to support a grieving person?
Angela Duckworth discussed Against Empathy by Paul Bloom. Also mentioned: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, The Book of Job by John E. Hartley, and Creed Or Chaos? by Dorothy Leigh Sayers.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Against Empathy
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.
Discussed“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”
Where to get it
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The Elegance of the Hedgehog
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery is a critically acclaimed French philosophical novel that follows the secret inner lives of an intellectual Parisian concierge and a precocious, disillusioned young girl.
Discussed“Have you ever read The Elegance of the Hedgehog? Nope! It's a beautiful novel written incredibly well.”
Where to get it
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The Book of Job
The Book of Job is a profound text from the Hebrew Bible that explores the complex theological problem of why innocent people suffer through a narrative of intense trials faced by a righteous man.
Discussed“But I'll tell you my favorite story of all time—it comes from the Old Testament, the Book of Job. It's studied as one of the great poems of all time.”
Where to get it
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Creed Or Chaos?
Creed Or Chaos? by Dorothy Leigh Sayers is a collection of essays by the celebrated author and theologian defending traditional Christian dogma against modern secularism and apathy.
Discussed“The language is actually from Mosiah 18 of the Book of Mormon.”
Where to get it
