Title
Should physicians be empathetic? Rethinking clinical empathy
Document Type
Article
Department or Administrative Unit
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Publication Date
9-20-2018
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.
Recommended Citation
Schwan, D. (2018). Should physicians be empathetic? Rethinking clinical empathy. Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, 39(5), 347–360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11017-018-9463-y
Journal
Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics
Rights
Copyright © 2018, Springer Nature B.V.
Comments
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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