Of course it’s a description. I understood the original post as asking for description as much as recommendation.
The question “what entities should one empathize with” is as difficult as many similar questions about morality, since it’s not absolutely clear what “should” means here. If your values form a system which can derive the answer, do it; but one can hardly expect wide consensus. My recommendation is: you don’t need the answer, instead use your own intuition. I think the chances that our intuitions overlap significantly are higher than chances of discovering an answer satisfactory for all.
Of course it’s a description. I understood the original post as asking for description as much as recommendation.
The question “what entities should one empathize with” is as difficult as many similar questions about morality, since it’s not absolutely clear what “should” means here. If your values form a system which can derive the answer, do it; but one can hardly expect wide consensus. My recommendation is: you don’t need the answer, instead use your own intuition. I think the chances that our intuitions overlap significantly are higher than chances of discovering an answer satisfactory for all.