The Empathic Civilisation | RSA Animate

Discuss in pairs / groups:

  • What is empathy? Try to come up with a good definition.
  • Is empathy the opposite of something else? If so, what is it? 

Now, watch the video and try to answer the questions as best you can:

  1. “It challenges human nature and  … ?” What is said here?
  2. What was the monkey doing when the scientist recorded the same brain activity?
  3. What is it about chimpanses that makes them interesting to look at?
  4. What is the function of mirror neurons?
  5. What is people’s first drive?
  6. Why do the other babies cry too?
  7. When do you start having knowledge of your mortality?
  8. Why is it that empathy is absent in heaven?
  9. What is the big question they are trying to get answered?
  10. “If it is possible … we may be able to save our …  and our ….”
  11. “To empathize is to … .”
  12. Which type of grouping together comes after religion?
  13. If we empathize in all these ways is it then possible to imagine us as connecting to …
  14. When Haiti was struck with an earthquake which media allowed for all the quick empathy?
  15. What did the bible get right?
  16. We should really rethink the … ?
  17. Which nasty traits come out if you are not allowed to show your empathy?

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