Tag Archives: empathy

“Us” and “Them” and That Notorious Trolley

Posted on 30 November 2025 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

I recently read a very well written and thought-provoking book, Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them, by Joshua Greene, which came out in 2013.  I had so many thoughts that I decided to put them … Continue reading →

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If only we had elves (or timelords)…

Posted on 25 November 2025 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

One of my favorite things is making fun connections between the things I’m watching and reading, and this past week has been great for that.  I’ll start with Brigands & Breadknives, the third in a series by Travis Baldree.  His … Continue reading →

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Practicing music, practicing empathy

Posted on 22 September 2021 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Every morning, the first thing I do after checking my email is reading Carolyn Hax’s advice column. I love her sharp sense of humor, and her advice is always sound. This week, two letter writers wondered whether there was something … Continue reading →

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On men understanding women, or, why Harry Potter’s gender mattered

Posted on 3 May 2021 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Boys don’t read books written by women, said Joanne Rowling’s publisher, and they didn’t want her first name on the book, hence the “J.K.” by which we all know her. It’s good for her that she pictured Harry as a … Continue reading →

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