Logic and Empathy: Navigating Social Landscapes
While acknowledging the speculative nature of these ideas, I find the perspective of viewing logic through the lens of social and psychological evolution quite inspiring. It helps frame its influence and function within our communities. This week, as I delve into the notion that logic is intrinsically linked to human activity, my journey is one of exploration rather than justification. My goal isn't to establish or defend theories about the origins of logic but to challenge myself to view logic from a fresh perspective. Trained primarily by mathematicians in formal logical methods, I'm now venturing to consider logic from an entirely different viewpoint.
Today, I revisit a useful comparison when contemplating logic's value within the community: its contrast with empathy. We are complex creatures, possessing brains capable of imagination, reasoning, and foresight, coupled with minds that experience a rich tapestry of emotions. It's crucial to not only understand our own feelings, which is a complex task in itself, but also to comprehend the emotions of others. Before engaging in activities like courting, negotiating, or collaborating, it's beneficial to grasp how others feel about us and their general emotional state. Sorting through one's own emotions is challenging enough; attempting to understand the feelings of others is even more so. This challenge intensifies with lesser familiarity and grows exponentially across cultural, spatial, or temporal divides.
Empathy demands that we not only understand but also deeply resonate with another person's perspective. It's the act of stepping into their shoes and experiencing their viewpoint. This requirement, I believe, is immensely challenging, especially in the age of social media. Our social circles now span hundreds, often including distant or unknown individuals. Continual exposure to the avatars of these distant connections leaves us struggling to empathize. In an ideal world, we would transcend social media's barriers and recognize the shared humanity behind these avatars – people who, like us, navigate daily life with its myriad routines and challenges. Yet, despite these commonalities, we find ourselves deeply divided along lines of morality, sexual and gender identity, belief systems, and political affiliations. In this fragmented social landscape, expecting empathy to serve as a bridge seems futile.
But here's where logic steps in. As I discuss in "Logic in the Wild," logic, in its role as the guardian of coherence, offers a way to understand and appreciate the beliefs of others. It allows us to find coherence in their thoughts without needing to fully immerse ourselves in their experiences. Logic provides a framework to navigate the complexities of human thought and interactions, especially in a world where empathy often falls short.
