"And a white rat raised among black and white rats rescued rats of both colors. The researchers found that it is not the rat’s color that determines which type of rat it will show empathy for, but the social context in which it was raised."
"In short, rats do not show empathy because of an innate recognition of similarity in physical appearance. Likewise, when human empathy can be partial, it is because the experiences of people from some groups are hidden from our view, which limits our empathy toward them."
"It’s vital to recognize that prejudice is not baked-in: It is the result of our ignorance. A failure to learn about people (or rats) of different kinds can mean that we fail to recognize their pain as genuine pain. Empathy can be switched off."
"Empathy by itself is not enough. It becomes an accurate guide for moral action only when combined with knowledge of people of all different backgrounds — knowledge that can be attained only if you are willing to actively listen to people whose voices have been silenced."
 
 
 

 

 

출처:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/opinion/empathy-research-morality-rats.html

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