The imagination allows us to empathize with others from "summary" of The Theory of Moral Sentiments - Adam Smith by Adam Smith
In the course of the last two centuries, many people have been attempting to describe and explain the moral sentiments. These sentiments, which are often considered the foundation of morality, are the feelings we have when we observe the actions of others. They are the emotions that arise within us when we see someone in distress, when we witness an act of generosity, or when we observe an injustice being committed. One of the most important of these moral sentiments is sympathy, or what I would prefer to call empathy. Empathy is the ability to put ourselves in another person's shoes, to imagine what they must be feeling, and to experience their emotions as if they were our own. It is this ability that allows us to feel for others, to share in their joys and sorrows, and to be moved by their experiences. But how do we come to possess this ability to empathize with others? It is through the power of the imagination. The imagination is the faculty that allows us to create mental images of things that are not present to our senses. I...
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