Bestselling author, political adviser and social and ethical prophet Jeremy Rifkin investigates the evolution of empathy and the profound ways that it has shaped our development and our society.
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Rifkin’s relatively optimistic view of humanity may not stand very well with the overly pessimistic anthropological perspective of the neo-reformed, but it makes lots of sense to me.
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He’s on the right track, I think. But it’s too narrow to suggest that mirror neurons ONLY lead us to Homo Empathicus. Mirror Neurons enable us to imitate ANY action or motivation we discern in the Other. Which is why, more often than not, we are Homo Acquisitus which leads to Homo Murderous. But Rifkin has certainly provided a thoughtful and stimulating analysis.
By: Philip on 2 April 2011
at 3:45 am
Indeed, Philip, his one sided optimism blinds him, the same way in which anthropological pessimism blinds the neo-reformed at the other end of the spectrum.
By: DanutM on 2 April 2011
at 10:53 am