Empathy, Sharing, and Mental Voyeurism

Abstract

In this project, I am trying to answer a few related questions that fall under the broad umbrella of 'empathy'. First, I aim to give an account of the best way to construe the phenomenon of 'sharing another person's predicament', whereby one does not merely understand another's person's emotions and perspective, but in some way takes part in them. Second, I am interested in the ethics of understanding another person, of when it is appropriate to try to imagine and put together another person's mental states. In particular, I am looking at the role of our own emotions in this process, and at cases in which this attempt of understanding might amount to a form of intrusion. Lastly, I aim to use some of the insights gained from these discussions in order to illuminate our engagement with literary characters and thereby provide new tools for literary criticism.

Project information

Project title
Empathy, Sharing, and Mental Voyeurism
Funded by
DFG
Project link
-
Project duration
1.2.2025 - 31.1.2027
Project team
Dr. Radu Bumbacea