Empaths, Are They Real?
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:25 pm
Are empaths real people? Or, is this another one of those new age mantras used to explain problematic psychological issues?
I can't say I know for sure, one way or another. What I can say is many people seemingly believe in empathic abilities, and the problems supposedly associated with such abilities.
First, I ask, what is a empath?
According to current acceptance, that is, society's general understanding of what a emapth is, a empath is a person who has the ability to capture and feel the mental or emotional state of another individual.
Secondly, I ask, where does the word empath stem from? Is it some ancient Druid ritual thing?
The term 'empath' comes from a translation done by British psychologist Edward Bradford Titchener, of the German word Einfühlung (meaning empathy) into English. The translation draws "from various writings dedicated in part to revising and refining the term’s aesthetic and moral implications. Einfühlung (empathy) had been used by the German Romantics to describe aesthetic experience, particularly the experience of “feeling into” the natural world, but had become the object of serious philosophical scrutiny only in the later nineteenth century through the work of German philosophers."
Third, I ask, is there a distinction between being empathic and being a empath?
Generally, being emapthic refers to a person having a sense of empathy toward another person's emotional plight, perhaps because they have had a similar experience with similar feelings, or perhaps having empathy simply means a person truly cares. Being a empath does not necessarily confer a empathic sense to one, although some empaths might be empathetic as well. Being an empath could actually work in reverse, instead of being empathatic a empath could become inured or numb to the feelings of others, thus presenting unrepsonsive behavior, and even a cold dismissal of another's emotional pain. So there is a distinct difference between being empathetic and being an empath.
Finally, I ask, are empaths real?
Based on the increasing number of people battling psychological problems then somehow discovering it isn't really their problems they are experiencing, but the negative feelings they are picking up from others, then I'd say, at least with that definition of the word, empaths are real. Does that mean a empath doesn't have a paranormal ability? No, not at all. No one can prove the existence or non-existence of paranormal abilities to the level required to be accepted as the last word. Arguably, there are far too many supposedly paranormal instances consistently occurring throughout the world to write off the existence of such things. Thus, based on such loose logic, I'd have to state that empaths are real people who have discovered a method of dealing with the psychological issues many of us face, and whom have used that understanding and awareness to better themselves and perhaps others. And, that can't be bad.
Sources:
I can't say I know for sure, one way or another. What I can say is many people seemingly believe in empathic abilities, and the problems supposedly associated with such abilities.
First, I ask, what is a empath?
According to current acceptance, that is, society's general understanding of what a emapth is, a empath is a person who has the ability to capture and feel the mental or emotional state of another individual.
Secondly, I ask, where does the word empath stem from? Is it some ancient Druid ritual thing?
The term 'empath' comes from a translation done by British psychologist Edward Bradford Titchener, of the German word Einfühlung (meaning empathy) into English. The translation draws "from various writings dedicated in part to revising and refining the term’s aesthetic and moral implications. Einfühlung (empathy) had been used by the German Romantics to describe aesthetic experience, particularly the experience of “feeling into” the natural world, but had become the object of serious philosophical scrutiny only in the later nineteenth century through the work of German philosophers."
Third, I ask, is there a distinction between being empathic and being a empath?
Generally, being emapthic refers to a person having a sense of empathy toward another person's emotional plight, perhaps because they have had a similar experience with similar feelings, or perhaps having empathy simply means a person truly cares. Being a empath does not necessarily confer a empathic sense to one, although some empaths might be empathetic as well. Being an empath could actually work in reverse, instead of being empathatic a empath could become inured or numb to the feelings of others, thus presenting unrepsonsive behavior, and even a cold dismissal of another's emotional pain. So there is a distinct difference between being empathetic and being an empath.
Finally, I ask, are empaths real?
Based on the increasing number of people battling psychological problems then somehow discovering it isn't really their problems they are experiencing, but the negative feelings they are picking up from others, then I'd say, at least with that definition of the word, empaths are real. Does that mean a empath doesn't have a paranormal ability? No, not at all. No one can prove the existence or non-existence of paranormal abilities to the level required to be accepted as the last word. Arguably, there are far too many supposedly paranormal instances consistently occurring throughout the world to write off the existence of such things. Thus, based on such loose logic, I'd have to state that empaths are real people who have discovered a method of dealing with the psychological issues many of us face, and whom have used that understanding and awareness to better themselves and perhaps others. And, that can't be bad.
Sources: