Empathy and reasoning aren’t rivals – new research shows they work together to drive people to help more

By: Kyle Fiore Law, Arizona State University; Brendan Bo O'Connor, University at Albany, State University of New York, and Stylianos Syropoulos, Arizona State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: December 2, 2025

Words: 884

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

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By Kyle Fiore Law, Arizona State University; Brendan Bo O'Connor, University at Albany, State University of New York, and Stylianos Syropoulos, Arizona State University

For years, philosophers and psychologists have debated whether empathy helps or hinders the ways people decide how to help others. Critics of empathy argue that it makes people care too narrowly – focusing on individual stories rather than the broader needs of society – while careful reasoning enables more impartial, evidence-based …

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