ABSTRACT

This chapter is written from the subjective first-person view of the artist. It may appear idiosyncratic and tangential. But if the subject of the chapter is ‘empathy,’ and empathy is defined as “The ability to understand and share the feelings of another” (OED), perhaps it seems reasonable to request both the reader and the writer to attempt to meet through a confessional moment of solidarity. The narrative may appear to be framed within the development of a play, but it is actually focused on a question and therefore offers a philosophical inquiry. The question offers a choice: is empathy an advantage in all forms of contemporary society; or is this most cherished of human skills actually a hindrance to the effective delivery of progress within a technologically enhanced environment?