Is our ability to empathize with others a product of nature or nurture? How does our worldview shape our capacity for empathy?
In what ways is our moral compass influenced by the social and cultural perspectives that guide our behavior?
In what ways is our moral compass influenced by spiritual perspectives that guide our behavior?
Some people believe that humans are exceptional because of our capacity for prosocial behavior, such as kindness and altruism. By contrast, others believe that all behavior is motivated by some degree of self-interest; therefore, humans are not capable of engaging in selfless acts. Do you believe that humans are capable of altruism? Use credible evidence to support your position.
How does the concept of prosocial behavior apply to any of the following programmatic course themes:
Self-care
Social justice
Emotional intelligence
Career connections
Ethics
Specific IT system applications in health services delivery fall into four main areas: 1. Clinical information systems 2. Administrative information systems 3. Decision support systems 4. Internet and eHealth Choose one of the above and discuss at least one influence of the system on healthcare delivery. Support your ideas with the literature.
Second discussion topic:
Technology diffusion has been accompanied by issues of cost, safety, benefit, and risk. Federal legislation has aimed at addressing these concerns. Which do you consider to be the most important area for focus? Support your ideas with rationales from the literature.
Sample Answer
Empathy, Morality, and Prosocial Behavior
1. Empathy: Nature vs. Nurture
Our ability to empathize with others is widely considered a product of both nature and nurture.
Nature (Innate Basis): The foundational hardware for empathy is innate. Neurologically, the discovery of mirror neurons in the brain provides biological evidence that we are hardwired to simulate the feelings and actions of others.
Infants, for example, show distress in response to the cries of other babies, suggesting a primitive, automatic form of emotional contagion.
Nurture (Environmental Shaping): The complexity and refinement of empathy are heavily shaped by nurture. Through social interactions, secure attachments with caregivers, language development, and exposure to diverse perspectives, we learn:
Perspective-taking (Cognitive Empathy): The ability to intellectually understand another person's situation.
Emotion Regulation: The capacity to feel another person's pain without becoming overwhelmed, which is crucial for turning empathy into helpful action.
2. Worldview and Empathy
Our worldview profoundly shapes our capacity for empathy by determining the scope of individuals we deem worthy of our concern.
A closed worldview (e.g., highly tribal, nationalist, or individualistic) often restricts the circle of empathy to immediate family, group, or nation. It can lead to dehumanization of those outside the group, making it difficult or impossible to feel empathy for their suffering.
An open worldview (e.g., humanitarian, global, or rooted in universal ethics) expands the circle of empathy to include strangers, people from different cultures, and even other species. This worldview encourages cognitive empathy by actively seeking to understand divergent experiences and acknowledging shared human vulnerability.