The Science of Evil: On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty Cover
Podcast Mentions

The Science of Evil On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty

Simon Baron-Cohen

Borderline personality disorder, autism, narcissism, psychosis, Asperger's: All of these syndromes have one thing in common--lack of empathy. In some cases, this absence can be dangerous, but in others it can simply mean a different way of seeing the world.In The Science of Evil Simon Baron-Cohen, a...

Podcasts 1
Quotes 13
Stuff You Should Know

It was mentioned as a book written by Simon Baron-Cohen, published in 2011, that explored empathy and featured an empathy curve ranging from 0 to 6. It discussed the concept of emotional empaths and how some individuals, like the therapist Hannah, experience a heightened state of empathy.

"

Simon Baron-Cohen wrote a book in 2011 called The Science of Evil and he's way down with empathy.

— Episode: Selects: How Empathy Works

Episode: Selects: How Empathy Works

It was mentioned as a book written by Simon Baron-Cohen, published in 2011, that explored empathy and featured an empathy curve ranging from 0 to 6. It discussed the concept of emotional empaths and how some individuals, like the therapist Hannah, experience a heightened state of empathy.

"

Simon Baron-Cohen wrote a book in 2011 called The Science of Evil and he's way down with empathy.

And he has a ranking system, an empathy curve from zero to six and zero is no empathy. Basically you're a sociopath. And six is, I guess the most hardcore of emotional empaths.

You call it a constant state of hyper arousal.

It's probably a great job for her, but she's just one of these people that by all accounts is just wired that way. Like her friends and her family and her patients, like she just really feels for them all. Like it's not just her job.

And he also does make the point that friends and family don't like, they need a certain amount of that empathy, but you don't want someone that's always like in that state.

Episode: Selects: How Empathy Works

It was mentioned as a book written in 2011, which details a ranking system for empathy, from 0 (no empathy, sociopath) to 6 (extreme emotional empathy). It described one woman with extreme emotional empathy as being headed towards burnout.

"

Simon Baron-Cohen wrote a book in 2011 called The Science of Evil and he's way down with empathy.

And he has a ranking system, an empathy curve from zero to six and zero is no empathy. Basically you're a sociopath. And six is, I guess the most hardcore of emotional empaths.

You call it a constant state of hyper arousal.

And he had this one woman that he used in his little example named Hannah, who was a therapist. It's probably a great job for her, but she's just one of these people that by all accounts is just wired that way. Like her friends and her family and her patients, like she just really feels for them all. Like it's not just her job.

And he also does make the point that friends and family don't like, they need a certain amount of that empathy, but you don't want someone that's always like in that state.

Episode: Selects: How Empathy Works

It was mentioned as a book about empathy, featuring an empathy curve from zero to six, with six being the most emotionally empathetic, and zero being a sociopath. One of the book's examples was about a therapist named Hannah, who felt intensely for her patients.

"

Simon Baron Cohen wrote a book in 2011 called The Science of Evil and he's way down with empathy.

And he has a ranking system, an empathy curve from zero to six and zero is no empathy. Basically you're a sociopath. And six is, I guess the most hardcore of emotional empaths.

It's probably a great job for her, but she's just one of these people that by all accounts is just wired that way. Like her friends and her family and her patients, like she just really feels for them all. Like it's not just her job.

Note: The book recommendations on this page are discovered automatically from podcast transcripts, and may be incorrect or incomplete.