Empathy

[Allen165]

I found this definition of empathy in a handbook on palliative care:

"the power of entering into the experience of or understanding emotion outside ourselves."

I'm not sure what "experience of" refers to. "Emotion outside ourselves"? Perhaps there's a word missing after "of."

"the power of entering into the experience of another or understanding emotion outside ourselves."

Thanks.

 

[Allen165]

Anyone? Does "the power of entering into the experience of emotion outside ourselves" make sense?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Raymott]

I found this definition of empathy in a handbook on palliative care:

"the power of entering into the experience of or understanding emotion outside ourselves."

I'm not sure what "experience of" refers to. "Emotion outside ourselves"? Perhaps there's a word missing after "of."

"the power of entering into the experience of another or understanding emotion outside ourselves."

Thanks.

Yes, this seems to be a lapse by the writer.
Also, I wouldn't use the term "emotions outside ourselves" to mean "the emotions of someone else".

 

[Editors4Writers]

I believe the writer intended: "The power of entering into the experience of emotions outside ourselves."

It's comprehensible, and perhaps syntactically correct, but the meaning of the sentence is still ambiguous. I suggest changing it to, "The power of experiencing other's emotions."