Compassion And Terror By Martha C. Nussbaum: Article Analysis
Aakash Mansukhani
University Writing
Gitlin
Exercise 3.1 – Sources
Sources used for Compassion & terror
J.M. Coetzee, The Lives of Animals, ed. Amy Gutmann (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1999). Nussbaum, Upheavels of Thought: The Intelligence of Emotions (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011), chaps 6-8. Batson, Daniel. The Altruism Question (Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1991). Clark, Candace. Misery and Company: Sympathy in Everyday Life (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997). “Duties of Justice, Duties of Material Aid: Ciero's Problematic Legacy,” Journal of Political Philosophy 7 (1999): 1-31. James Whitman's new book Richard Sorabji, Animal Minds and Human Morals: …show more content…
Nussbaum that describes two different sides of compassion. Throughout her essay, Nussbaum argues that compassion can either be positively charged or lead to narrow mindedness. Her argument revolves around several factors which include human dignity and judgement. There are many aspects about compassion that I took away from this essay. For instance, from the start of her essay, Nussbaum states that compassion, “shapes civic integration, but given, too, its obvious propensity for self-serving narrowness” (12). While compassion can enable humans to cross national boundaries and sympathize when a tragedy comes about, it can also, at the same time, lead to hurtful comments and prove to be a threat. Furthermore, it is not possible for us to build a lasting “concern for humanity” through compassion because of its “impartial motives” (12). There is a limit to how compassionate one should get, and once this boundary is crossed it can lead to drastic consequences. Additionally, it is hard for us to “trust compassion” because of its precarious nature (14). As Nussbaum states, compassion is, “an emotion directed at another person's suffering or lack of well-being” (14). This is generally where compassion directly connects with terror. For example, Nussbaum gives an example of the collapse of the two towers (world trade center) and how people reacted with different forms of compassion. For instance, people started to feel sorry for the women who were under the Taliban but also started to become more racist to Muslims in general. In the end of her essay, Nussbaum concludes that the only thing we can do as humans is to keep trusting our sense for compassion instead of not showing any sentiments at
University Writing
Gitlin
Exercise 3.1 – Sources
Sources used for Compassion & terror
J.M. Coetzee, The Lives of Animals, ed. Amy Gutmann (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1999). Nussbaum, Upheavels of Thought: The Intelligence of Emotions (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011), chaps 6-8. Batson, Daniel. The Altruism Question (Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1991). Clark, Candace. Misery and Company: Sympathy in Everyday Life (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997). “Duties of Justice, Duties of Material Aid: Ciero's Problematic Legacy,” Journal of Political Philosophy 7 (1999): 1-31. James Whitman's new book Richard Sorabji, Animal Minds and Human Morals: …show more content…
Nussbaum that describes two different sides of compassion. Throughout her essay, Nussbaum argues that compassion can either be positively charged or lead to narrow mindedness. Her argument revolves around several factors which include human dignity and judgement. There are many aspects about compassion that I took away from this essay. For instance, from the start of her essay, Nussbaum states that compassion, “shapes civic integration, but given, too, its obvious propensity for self-serving narrowness” (12). While compassion can enable humans to cross national boundaries and sympathize when a tragedy comes about, it can also, at the same time, lead to hurtful comments and prove to be a threat. Furthermore, it is not possible for us to build a lasting “concern for humanity” through compassion because of its “impartial motives” (12). There is a limit to how compassionate one should get, and once this boundary is crossed it can lead to drastic consequences. Additionally, it is hard for us to “trust compassion” because of its precarious nature (14). As Nussbaum states, compassion is, “an emotion directed at another person's suffering or lack of well-being” (14). This is generally where compassion directly connects with terror. For example, Nussbaum gives an example of the collapse of the two towers (world trade center) and how people reacted with different forms of compassion. For instance, people started to feel sorry for the women who were under the Taliban but also started to become more racist to Muslims in general. In the end of her essay, Nussbaum concludes that the only thing we can do as humans is to keep trusting our sense for compassion instead of not showing any sentiments at