Do We Need Empathy for Moral Motivation?

It is an old worry that moral principles or propositions do not motivate merely in virtue of someone holding them to be true. There are various ways to try to solve this problem, the most recent one being to claim that core moral principles evoke empathy or concern. Martin Hoffman (2000) and Shaun Nichols (2004) argue that in development, moral norms become linked either with empathy (Hoffman) or concern (Nichols), with the result that people are motivated to act on the core moral norms they hold. For Hoffman, empathy is necessary for moral motivation, and for Nichols concern seems necessary for some moral motivation. Core moral principles and propositions are those that are at the center of morality, they are usually concerned with others ’ welfare, and with justice and rights. You empathize with someone’