I think Tsvi has a point that empathy towards a group that has some good-but-puzzling views and some clearly-bad views is a tricky thing to manage internally.
I think an easier step in this direction is to approach the problem more analytically. This is why I feel such affection for the Intellectual Turing Test. You can undertake the challenge of fully understanding some else’s viewpoint without needing to emotionally commit to it. It can be a purely intellectual challenge. Sometimes, as I try to write an ITt for a view I feel is overall incorrect I sneer at the view a bit in my head. I don’t endorse that, I think ideally one approaches the exercise in an emotionally neutral way. Nevertheless, it is a much easier step from being strongly set against a view to trying to tackle the challenge of fully understanding it. Going the further step to empathy for (parts of) the other view is a much harder further step to take.
I think Tsvi has a point that empathy towards a group that has some good-but-puzzling views and some clearly-bad views is a tricky thing to manage internally.
I think an easier step in this direction is to approach the problem more analytically. This is why I feel such affection for the Intellectual Turing Test. You can undertake the challenge of fully understanding some else’s viewpoint without needing to emotionally commit to it. It can be a purely intellectual challenge. Sometimes, as I try to write an ITt for a view I feel is overall incorrect I sneer at the view a bit in my head. I don’t endorse that, I think ideally one approaches the exercise in an emotionally neutral way. Nevertheless, it is a much easier step from being strongly set against a view to trying to tackle the challenge of fully understanding it. Going the further step to empathy for (parts of) the other view is a much harder further step to take.