How the Empathy is Possible: The Distinction between “Heart to Heart” and “Intersubjective Understanding”

Phenomenological sociology expands the view of interpretive sociology with the concepts or methods of “intersubjectivity” and “phenomenological reduction”,which has the significance of correcting the subject-object dualism in scientism.In terms of methodology,there are some similarities between heart-to-heart from the perspective of Confucianism and intersubjective understanding,such as suspending established standards or rules and reaching consensus understanding with perceptual intuition.The differences between the two are mainly reflected in the following aspects: Firstly,intersubjective understanding is derived from the reflexivity of subject-object duality,while heart-to-heart(“将心比心”) is based on the understanding of the internal-external relations between individual and society.Secondly,the “subject” of intersubjective understanding is individual,while the “subject” of heart-to-heart is relational.Thirdly,the intersubjective understanding of facing the other is based on the religious spirit,while heart-to-heart is generated and expanded in daily life.The key of heart-to-heart is the stimulation and extrapolation of self-heart.Identifying the differences between heart-to-heart and intersubjective understanding and their deep presuppositions will help us to understand the emotive logic of Chinese peoples socal actions.