“I’m Here to Understand You”: The Roles of the First, Second, and Third-Person Perspectives in Empathy

Abstract

The project of empathy marks a long-standing debate between Theory of Mind defenders and phenomenologists. While they differ on their mechanisms of empathy, their research generally circles around the same question, “Do we or do we not have access to the mind of another person?” The work surrounding this question has produced many fruitful and fascinating discussions about empathy’s mechanisms and interpersonal influence. And yet, with all the focus on what empathy is doing in us, the literature has often failed to address what we should be doing with empathy. In this thesis, I propose a conceptual framework for empathetically responding to others by identifying the roles we play in an interpersonal encounter. Because our roles vary based on our relationship to the other and the context in which we are encountering them, I also offer a normative analysis of what empathy ought to accomplish. In acknowledgement that the Kantian “ought” implies “can,” I integrate sociological, biological, and technological literature to address who can empathize in terms of the three-perspectives. Ultimately, my aim is to provide an educated entry point for conversation and reflection on how to communicate empathetically, whether that be as a participant in a relationship or as an academic analyzing relationships.