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Do art and literature cultivate empathy?

  • Written by: Nick Haslam, Professor of Psychology, University of Melbourne
imageIt's argued art helps people cultivate empathy.Heather/Flickr, CC BY

This article is part of our series on understanding others’ feelings. In it we examine empathy, including what it is, whether our doctors need more of it, and when too much may not be a good thing.


A common argument for the value of the arts is the claim they cultivate...

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Sussan Ley and the Gold Coast apartment: murky rules mean age of entitlement isn't over for MPs

  • Written by: Yee-Fui Ng, Lecturer, Graduate School of Business and Law, RMIT University
imageSussan Ley was under pressure to resign following claims she misused her travel entitlements and breached the ministerial standards.AAP/Lukas Coch

Sussan Ley has stood aside as health minister while the prime minister’s department investigates her travel expenses. This move followed increased pressure on her to resign following claims she...

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Health check: is it safe to microwave your food?

  • Written by: Senaka Ranadheera, Early Career Research Fellow, Advanced Food Systems Research Unit, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University
imageSome say cancer-causing chemicals can leak into packaging and into your food.osseous/Flickr, CC BY

Today every kitchen would seem “under-equipped” without a microwave, with its efficient ability to cook, defrost and reheat a variety of different foods. The handy appliance uses microwave radiation to do so. This is a type of...

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The off-topic Conversation #115

  • Written by: Cory Zanoni, Community Manager, The Conversation

Welcome to The Conversation’s off-topic space. We’ve set this up as the place where you can discuss anything that isn’t related to a specific article. Please feel free to use this space to get to know each other and talk about news elsewhere and whatever else strikes your fancy.

This is also an opportunity to discuss broader...

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More Articles …

  1. Why and how do we measure what consumers feel?
  2. Understanding others' feelings: what is empathy and why do we need it?
  3. Five political leaders to watch in 2017
  4. Why do we still make girls wear skirts and dresses as school uniform?
  5. Lion is a well-made melodrama with a rather disturbing message
  6. Make a fresh start with your fridge in 2017: apps to reduce food waste and save money
  7. Food for thought: the rise of Australia's mighty Brahman
  8. Australia’s climate in 2016 – a year of two halves as El Niño unwound
  9. Explainer: we can learn a lot from the changing night sky
  10. Birdbath, food or water? How to attract your favourite birds to your garden
  11. In a world awash with data, is the census still relevant?
  12. The lure of cycling: tips from a middle-aged man in Lycra
  13. The archaeology of polite society
  14. Who will be the winner in the next computing revolution?
  15. Housing the dead: what happens when a city runs out of space?
  16. Two cheers for Barack Obama
  17. The world is getting fatter with technology as part of the problem and not the cure
  18. Enough's enough: buying more stuff isn't always the answer to happiness
  19. Kitchen ink: foodies, chefs and tattoos
  20. Prepare for a healthy holiday with this A-to-E guide
  21. How to quickly spot dodgy science
  22. How and why we are moving beyond GDP as a measure of human progress
  23. Why bad housing design pumps up power prices for everyone
  24. Ten reasons some of us should cut back on alcohol
  25. Cinema opens a dialogue about coming to terms with Balkans' past
  26. Why don't people get it? Seven ways that communicating risk can fail
  27. Explainer: why markets care what businesses are buying
  28. Reinventing heritage buildings isn't new at all – the ancients did it too
  29. Would Marilyn Monroe's career (and life) have been different if she had acted on stage?
  30. Australian climate politics in 2017: a guide for the perplexed
  31. Health Check: does my brain really freeze when I eat ice cream?
  32. Look up! Your guide to some of the best meteor showers for 2017
  33. Things you were taught at school that are wrong
  34. Cabinet papers 1992-93: the rise and fall of enterprise bargaining agreements
  35. Cabinet papers 1992-93: Keating government fights for Indigenous rights on multiple fronts
  36. Cabinet papers 1992-93: the balance of head and heart
  37. Cabinet papers 1992-93: Australia reluctant while world moves towards first climate treaty
  38. The 1992-93 cabinet papers reveal the chaos behind the government's economic statement
  39. Cabinet papers 1992-93: Australia moves to make Her Majesty obsolete
  40. How changes noted in the 1992-93 cabinet papers affect our super today
  41. Telling the tale of 2016: On choosing how to remember the year
  42. Philanthropy's tech billionaire reboot could be good for policymaking
  43. Go native: why we need 'wildlife allotments' to bring species back to the ‘burbs
  44. Wait a moment: 2016 goes a little longer thanks to a leap second
  45. A behaviourist's guide to New Year's resolutions
  46. The shelf-life of slang – what will happen to those 'democracy sausages'?
  47. Four education claims of 2016 – reviewed
  48. 2016: The Year in Film
  49. A rare American rebuke for Israel
  50. Surviving 2017 – a user's guide

Business News

Designing Eco-Friendly Custom Water Bottles for Your Next Event

The Evolution of Sustainable Event Merchandise Event planning has undergone a massive transformation over the last decade. Gone are the days when organizers could hand out cheap, single use plastic...

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Why Choosing a Professional Florist Melbourne Makes Flower Delivery Impactful

Flowers have a great power to speak when humans cannot express their feelings with right words. Flowers are the best gifts when you are celebrating a birthday or welcoming a newborn child into your fa...

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The Business Case for Choosing Australian Fabricators Over Imported Alternatives

For a long time, you might have defaulted to overseas suppliers when sourcing fabricated metal components for a project. The unit price was lower on paper, and the maths seemed straightforward. That...

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Australian organisations are relying on business continuity plans built for a far more predictable world

Tariff escalations, supply chain fragility, geopolitical events, and the ongoing threat of cyber disruption have reshaped the risk environment facing Australian organisations. The problem is that ma...

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How to Rent a Car for Uber in Melbourne: What Every New Driver Needs to Know

Starting out as an Uber driver in Melbourne is not as complicated as it sounds but getting the vehicle right is where most new drivers get stuck. Uber has strict requirements around vehicle age, condi...

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When Should You Speak to a Lawyer About a Legal Issue?

Legal issues can begin with a simple question, then become harder to manage once formal steps are involved. Many people wait until a matter feels urgent before seeking guidance, even though earlier ...

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The strategic rise of Bali as Australia’s next essential healthcare support hub

As Australian healthcare providers grapple with unprecedented operational bottlenecks, a new nearshore model is quietly transforming patient care delivery. Forward-thinking organisations,  including...

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Cost Savings and Benefits of Using Used Pallets in Logistics

In today’s competitive logistics and supply chain industry, businesses are constantly looking for ways to reduce operational costs without compromising efficiency and reliability. One of the most prac...

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How Fulfilment Services in Australia Help Businesses Scale Efficiently

The growth of e-commerce and modern retail has transformed customer expectations. Consumers now expect fast shipping, accurate order processing, and seamless delivery experiences regardless of where...

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The Daily Magazine

Moving Out of a Rental in Melbourne? A Practical Moving Checklist

Moving out of a rental in Melbourne is one of those things that always feels further away than it ...

Why a Cordless Rebar Tying Machine Is a Smart Investment for Australian Construction Projects

Tying reinforcing steel by hand means spending hours bent over while making the same twisting moti...

How to Get a Document Notarised in Sydney: What to Bring, What It Costs and How Long It Takes

If an overseas bank, embassy, university, employer or land registry has asked you for a notarised ...

The 2026 Used-Car Market

For a few strange years, the used-car market rewrote its own rules. Supply shortages sent second-h...

Why CCTV Alone Is Not Enough for Modern Business Security

Cameras are usually the initial step that companies take to strengthen their physical security. If...

Why Every Workplace Should Take Emergency Preparedness Seriously

Emergency planning is one of those things many workplaces know they should think about, but it oft...

Why Clearer Communication Still Matters in a Digital-First Business

It’s never been easier for businesses to communicate, but that doesn’t mean they’re always communica...

What Happens After You Lodge a BYDA Enquiry? The Step Most Excavation Projects Miss

Every excavation project in Australia — from a backyard deck footing to a multi-storey commercial bu...

How to Choose the Right Dentist on the Gold Coast

Finding a dentist you trust is one of those decisions that quietly affects your health for years, ye...