Sympatheia

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A concept in philosophy denoting the interconnectedness and emotional resonance between individuals or entities
2. The idea emphasizing shared feelings and mutual understanding within relational contexts, often used in discussions about empathy
3. A term reflecting the deep emotional ties that bind beings together, highlighting the importance of compassion and mutual support

Etymology: In Greek, "sympatheia" was built from "syn," meaning "together," and "pathos," meaning "feeling" or "suffering," so its literal sense was something like "feeling-together." Early Greek physicians used it of how one part of the body affects another, a physical connection rather than an emotional one. The Stoic philosophers gave the idea its broadest form. They taught that the cosmos is a single living organism, with every part bound to every other, so that a change in one place is felt throughout the whole. Human beings, as parts of that whole, were thought to share this bond, which they held as the basis for caring for one another. English "sympathy" descends from the same Greek root through Latin, and it carries the emotional sense that this term describes.

Synonyms: sympathy, empathy, compassion, rapport

Antonyms: antipathy, hostility, indifference