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Abstract
The social effects of the pandemic have exacerbated the ability and desire to overcome empathy fatigue and, consequently, have engendered more indifference towards others and isolationism among the population. These effects challenge society’s moral resolve to care for others. In this paper I present two ethical explanations of the basis of morality and moral action—Immanuel Kant’s ethic of pure will (conscience) and John Duns Scotus’ ethic of an ontology of love, and endeavor to show that a morality based solely on our rationally justifiable conscience does not adequately compel us to overcome empathy fatigue, whereas a morality based on an acknowledgement and affirmation of the lovableness of others can propel us to overcome empathy fatigue.
Keywords: Pandemic, Empathy Fatigue, Love, Conscience, Scotus, Kant, Augustine, Enjoyment
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Cite as: Dennis Sansom, “The Pandemic, Empathy Fatigue, and Ethical Motivations: Kant on Conscience and Scotus on Love,” Ethics & Medicine 37, no. 2–3 (2021): Early Access.
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About the Author
Dennis L. Sansom, PhD
Dennis L. Sansom, PhD, is the Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Samford University, where he has been teaching since 1988. Most of his research is in medical ethics, the relationship between literature and philosophy, and issues dealing with the philosophy of religion found in the history of philosophy.