The racial empathy gap refers to how people react differently to pain and other stimuli based on race, with white people reacting more empathetically to those who look like them. This phenomenon highlights the need for increased awareness and understanding of racism and its effects.
The concept of mirror neurons has been used to explain empathy, but it falls short in understanding the racial empathy gap where people of color are often perceived as less empathetic. A deeper understanding of this phenomenon is necessary to address the systemic racial biases.
The podcast discusses how philosopher Adam Smith was talking about mirror neurons, even though he wrote it centuries ago when he stated that persons of delicate fibers who notice another’s injuries tend to feel an itching in their own bodies. However, if judges use their personal biases to sentence a defendant, it can have dire consequences.