Rich, diverse and complex, the range of emotions we feel when we come into contact with other
organisms is the very image of biodiversity. However, the scientific study of the questions
relating to it is just beginning... Thus, there is a strong evolutionary component to our empathic reactions
to other species: the empathy we feel towards other
species (and the compassion that follows) depends very clearly on their phylogenetic proximity
. But what about empathy towards other species if we take into account
its neurodiversity, ethnic variation, and ontogeny?
References:
Miralles, A., Grandgeorge, M. Raymond, M. 2022. Self-perceived empathic abilities of people with
autism towards living beings mostly differs for humans. Scientific Reports,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10353-2
Miralles, A., Raymond, M.*, Lecointre, G.* 2019. Empathy and compassion toward other species
decrease with evolutionary divergence time. Scientific Reports, 9:19555 [ * : equal
contribution].https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56006-9
Human evolutionary biology, by shaking up the traditional (but arbitrary) barriers between...More
