Comments on: On Empathy http://blog.solomonwriting.com/on-empathy/ Julia Solomon's Blog Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:02:01 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Julia http://blog.solomonwriting.com/on-empathy/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Julia Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:08:58 +0000 http://blog.solomonwriting.com/?p=83#comment-27 I agree--I don't believe any of us can be entirely detached from our own life experiences and our understanding of others, and it seems a strange standard to strive for. Judges should be impartial, but not robotic. I agree–I don’t believe any of us can be entirely detached from our own life experiences and our understanding of others, and it seems a strange standard to strive for. Judges should be impartial, but not robotic.

]]> By: Alex http://blog.solomonwriting.com/on-empathy/comment-page-1/#comment-26 Alex Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:04:07 +0000 http://blog.solomonwriting.com/?p=83#comment-26 If lady justice really is supposed to be totally blindfolded and devoid of empathy, operating only on the basis of the law -- <em>then we need better laws</em>! I see what critics mean by calling for impartiality, and ultimately that is what is demanded of a judge. But I don't think empathy in a judge is a bad thing (is it even possible to be totally human if you are devoid of it?), especially when operating in an imperfect system. If lady justice really is supposed to be totally blindfolded and devoid of empathy, operating only on the basis of the law — then we need better laws!

I see what critics mean by calling for impartiality, and ultimately that is what is demanded of a judge. But I don’t think empathy in a judge is a bad thing (is it even possible to be totally human if you are devoid of it?), especially when operating in an imperfect system.

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