The Empathy Gap: Building Bridges to the Good Life and the Good Society by J. D. Trout

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In our selfish world, the empathy gap alluded to in J. D. Trout's book sometimes looks more like a gaping chasm. As good Americans, we understandably cherish free will, individualism, and laissez-faire economics, but often the choices we make do more harm than good. Social psychologist Trout believes that there are good reasons to believe that government can and should bridge the empathy gap. Citing examples such as vaccination, food safety laws, and estate taxes, he argues that in numerous instances, society can act more effectively than any "invisible hand."

From the Publisher

A road map to a better society linking the cognitive psychology of individual and social decision making

Drawing on his sweeping and innovative research, philosopher and cognitive scientist J. D. Trout recruits the latest findings in psychology, behavioral economics, and neuroscience to answer the question: How can we make better personal decisions and design social policies that improve the lives of everyone?

Empathy prompts us to roll up our sleeves. Empathy for the risk and suffering of our fellow citizens can lead to moral outrage, more decent laws, and fairer policies. But new research on judgment and decision making has revealed that the human mind makes decisions that undermine the best interests of the individual and society alike. Empathy is an admirable impulse, but alone it is unreliable. It needs to be balanced by rationality if we are to develop a responsible social approach to decent and democratic policy making.

With penetrating insight into our cognitive and empathic limitations, Trout offers pragmatic political solutions to vault these crippling psychological barriers and outlines the best way to use our brains and our policies to improve society and the life of every individual.

Publishers Weekly

In this dramatic challenge to cherished American concepts like individualism, free will and laissez-faire economics, Trout (Epistemology and the Psychology of Human Judgment) presents "an alternative story grounded not in the abstractions of political theory or economics, but in the moisture and grit of human psychology." Studies by cognitive scientists and psychologists reveal an "empathy gap," where individuals repeatedly make biased and selfish choices despite their best attempts to the contrary. The author posits that government can bridge the gap and cites vaccination, estate tax, helmet laws and food safety as issues that government has successfully handled for the greater good. For fighting poverty: "the best hope... is amending the Constitution to guarantee an above-poverty income to all citizens." Trout recognizes that government may not always make the right choices, but suggests that if it depended more on automated processes and the advice of social scientists, it might recover the trust that it has lost. For some, Trout's book will seem a panacea for a selfish world, but others may question whether it is really possible to prevent the same biases that affect individual decisions from affecting larger, governmental entities. (Feb.)

Library Journal

Relying on the latest findings in psychology, behavioral economics, and neuroscience, cognitive scientist Trout (www.jdtrout.com) makes the case that armed with a greater understanding of the science of empathy, policymakers and individuals would be better equipped to make choices on their own and society's behalf. The author himself narrates in a clear and moderate voice. While Trout's concepts are intriguing, this is not a light read and is best suited for individuals interested in psychology and public policy. [Audio clip available through brillianceaudio.com; the Viking hc was "recommended for public library collections," LJ 2/1/09.—Ed.—J. Sara Paulk, Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Cty. Lib., Fitzgerald, GA

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Table of Contents