Seems this thread is full of varying definitions for various concepts. I've posted a few comments in this thread myself assuming my own definitions without real

Seems this thread is full of varying definitions for various concepts. I've posted a few comments in this thread myself assuming my own definitions without really reading a dictionary first, so I'll leave my definitions here for anyone who might be interested: Affective empathy: experiencing some level of suffering or discomfort when visually seeing someone else suffering. This is just a reflex for most of us that scales with how obvious and immediate the other person's pain appears to be. Seeing someone get hit by a car or cry will cause this feeling whereas seeing a depressed person will not as they do not obviously appear to be suffering. Cognitive empathy: thinking about someone else's circumstances and thus feeling some level of shared suffering. This form of empathy does not require the suffering to be right in front of you for you to feel something and does require cognitive effort (i.e. is not a reflex). We would use this to empathize with someone who is depressed. Sympathy (as in to feel sympathy for someone): feeling empathy but not taking much time or energy to do anything to help the sufferer and more likely coming up with some rationalization to help yourself deal with your own feelings (i.e. they'll be fine, there is nothing i can do). I guess we also have a concept of "fake sympathy" where someone lies about feeling empathy and then does nothing. Compassion: a belief that someone is worth helping and having an intention to help them if you can, regardless of the degree to which you empathize with them. I'm almost certain these definitions are not the "correct ones", but for the sake of me not amending all my previous comments I'll just leave this here.