Sensations are individual, but through empathy, we can understand and sympathize with others’ suffering. This becomes a crucial element in forming morality and achieving social harmony.
Strictly speaking, the sensations I feel cannot be shared with others under any circumstances. This is because sensations arise through the physical body. My body belongs solely to me. Therefore, sensations arising from my body cannot be transferred beyond my body into another’s body. For this reason, we cannot, in principle, share any sensation with another person. Sensations are individual and unique. Thus, if one possesses an overly sensitive receptivity to the sensations of one’s own pain or pleasure, we easily become immersed in our own individuality. In other words, excessive sensitivity to pleasure and pain can make a person self-centered and selfish. One might inflict pain on others to avoid suffering oneself.
This individuality and limitation of sensation also holds significant meaning in social relationships. If an individual focuses solely on their own sensations, empathy and cooperation with others become difficult. This can lead to conflict and discord in all areas of daily life, such as family, work, and friendships. Therefore, it is necessary for individuals to adopt an attitude that does not become overly preoccupied with their own sensations, but also pays attention to the sensations and experiences of others. This attitude becomes an important factor in promoting harmony and cooperation within the community. Furthermore, overcoming the individuality of sensation in social relationships is essential for forming communication and solidarity based on trust and understanding with others.
So what enables us, even amidst sensations of pain and pleasure, to avoid becoming solely absorbed in ourselves and instead develop a sensitivity to universal pain and universal pleasure? According to David Hume, it is the innate capacity for sympathy, a fundamental faculty inherent in our minds. The English word ‘sympathy’ derives from the Greek ‘sympatheia’. This term combines the prefix ‘syn’, meaning ‘together’, with ‘pathos’, signifying ‘sensation’ or ‘passion’. Therefore, sympatheia signifies sharing pathos, particularly the shared experience of sorrow or suffering.
Since human sensory capacity is universal, another person’s pain evokes a similar response in our hearts through external signs like facial expressions, gestures, or sounds. Though we cannot feel another’s pain exactly as they do, we can experience a similar suffering through indirect imagination and inference. This capacity for sensory empathy is a fundamental bond within human society. Historically, compassion has played a crucial role in forming the moral foundation of human society. For instance, the spontaneous offering of help by many people during wars or disasters can be seen as an act stemming from compassion. Furthermore, compassion has been a significant theme explored in literature and art. Through literary and artistic works, we can understand others’ emotions and develop deeper empathy.
When we imagine another’s suffering, a conceptual image of that pain forms within our minds. If we possess heightened sensitivity or if the scene of suffering is particularly horrific, the conceptual shadow of pain created in our minds can feel vivid and intense, almost as if we were experiencing the pain itself. This shared feeling of another’s suffering, whether strongly or weakly, is compassion. In short, the sensitivity to suffering that another’s pain evokes within me is compassion. Compassion enriches an individual’s life and strengthens social relationships.
Furthermore, compassion plays a vital role in education. Through education, we can cultivate compassion and develop the ability to understand others’ emotions. For example, schools guide students to understand others’ pain and pleasure, and learn the value of living together through various volunteer and community activities. Such education greatly helps students practice consideration and empathy for others even as adults.
This compassion, which every human being inherently possesses deep within their heart, forms the true foundation of morality. Morality presupposes concern for others. However, if humans were only sensitive to their own pleasure and pain while remaining indifferent to others’ joy and sorrow, morality would be impossible from the start. Only those who avoid others’ suffering as they would their own pain, and pursue others’ joy as they pursue their own, can be moral people.
Therefore, compassion is a crucial element that fosters an individual’s moral growth. Through compassion, we understand others’ emotions and experiences, enabling us to build a more inclusive and cooperative society. This positively impacts not only individual happiness but also the overall happiness and prosperity of society. When we understand and empathize with each other’s pain and pleasure, we can create a better world. Ultimately, compassion is a core virtue essential for the sustainable development and peace of our society.
