The word empathy (认同) is so commonly used nowadays.But what is empathy?The origin of the word empathy (1) [dates] back to the 1880s,when a German psychologist (2)[coined] the term meaning "in-feeling" to describe the emotional (3) [appreciation] of another's feelings.Empathy has further been described as the (4) [process] of understanding a person's (5) [subjective] experience by vicariously (间接地) sharing that experience while (6) [maintaining] an observant position.Even more simply stated,empathy is the ability to "put oneself in another's shoes" and for physicians,empathy (7) [expands] understanding of the patient beyond the history and symptoms to include (8)——,ideas,and feelings.
However,we may propose a subtle but important distinction between empathy and sympathy.(9)[Whereas empathy is used by skilled clinicians to enhance communication and delivery of care],sympathy can be burdensome and harmful,even leading to burnout.Sympathy implies feelings shared with the sufferer as if the pain belonged to both persons:(10)[We sympathize with other human beings when we share and suffer with them].It would stand to reason,therefore,that completely shared suffering can never exist between a physician and a patient; otherwise,the physician would share the patient's plight and would therefore be unable to help.(11)[ In empathy,we "borrow" another's feelings to observe,feel,and understand them--but not to take them onto ourselves].By being a participant-observer,we come to understand how the other person feels.