Abstract

This article tackles the hypothesis of a layered theory of empathy – with main reference to Anna Donise’s book Critica della ragione empatica. The first section of the article will reconstruct the historical and conceptual itinerary achieved by Donise’s book, and its main focus on the phenomenological tradition. In the second section I will focus on the theoretical outcome of that itinerary, namely the layered conception of empathy. In the third section I will discuss the ethical consequences entailed by such a layered conception. The fourth section will discuss the advantages of adopting the layered conception of empathy, by focusing on the relationship between empathy and psychoanalysis. Finally, the theme of the relationship between ethics and the layered conception of empathy will be tackled in the conclusions.