Book 3 Ep. 3: Against Empathy

Episode 8 of the The Transatlantic Book Club podcast, hosted by The Transatlantic Book Club, titled "Book 3 Ep. 3: Against Empathy" was published on July 22, 2025 and runs 60 minutes.

July 22, 2025 ·60m · The Transatlantic Book Club

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Summary

In this episode of The Transatlantic Book Club, your hosts Nathan and Lee dive headfirst into Paul Bloom’s bold and controversial book, Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion. We unpack Bloom’s central argument—that empathy, often celebrated as a moral compass, may actually lead to biased and harmful decision-making.Join us as we explore the psychological, ethical, and philosophical layers of Bloom’s thesis, debate its real-world implications, and reflect on how it challenges common assumptions about morality and compassion. Whether you agree or disagree, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about the role of empathy in your life.Part 3 of the full episode Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode Description

In this episode of The Transatlantic Book Club, your hosts Nathan and Lee dive headfirst into Paul Bloom’s bold and controversial book, Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion. We unpack Bloom’s central argument—that empathy, often celebrated as a moral compass, may actually lead to biased and harmful decision-making.

Join us as we explore the psychological, ethical, and philosophical layers of Bloom’s thesis, debate its real-world implications, and reflect on how it challenges common assumptions about morality and compassion. Whether you agree or disagree, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about the role of empathy in your life.

Part 3 of the full episode

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.