Dementia and empathy: A Steinian perspective

It is self evidently true that who we are depends crucially on our relationships with other human beings and our interactions with them, since it is these which constantly redefine and re-establish our identifies. Despite this apparent Humean picture, it is asserted that there is a constant core which defines who we are and phenomenologically, that we have little difficulty in identifying a person as the same person from one moment to the next. For someone suffering from dementia, however, there is an erosion of identity and so the interaction between ourselves and the person with dementia becomes problematic. The person with dementia is no longer in full command of his or her actions and so they cannot be understood as defining of identity in the same way as previously. It is not so clear that there is constant core any more and we have difficulty in relating to the person. This creates ethical tensions in that it becomes difficult to know how they are to be treated. It is argued that Edith Stein's analysis of empathy may be of some assistance in helping us to understand the situation and condition of the dementia patient and so enhance our ability to respond appropriately to his or her needs.