Should physicians be empathetic? Rethinking clinical empathy

Department or Administrative Unit

Philosophy and Religious Studies

Document Type

Article

Author Copyright

Copyright © 2018, Springer Nature B.V.

Publication Date

9-20-2018

Journal

Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics

Abstract

The role and importance of empathy in clinical practice has been widely discussed. This paper focuses on the ideal of clinical empathy, as involving both cognitive understanding and affective resonance. I argue that this account is subject to a number of objections. Affective resonance may serve more as a liability than as a benefit in clinical settings, and utilizing this capacity is not clearly supported by the relevant empirical literature. Instead, I argue that the ideal account of empathy in medicine remains cognitive, though there is a central role for expressing empathic concern toward patients.

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This article was originally published in Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics. The full-text article from the publisher can be found here.

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