homo-empathicus

The 'Preamble' of Jeremy Rifkin's 'Biosphere Politics' introduces the central thesis of the book: the evolution of human empathy as a driving force in civilization's development and the paradoxical relationship between empathy and entropy. It outlines the book's structure, which explores the emergence of Homo empathicus, the historical surges of empathy alongside energy-intensive civilizations, and the current challenge of achieving global empathy amid ecological crisis. The preamble sets the stage for understanding the critical test humanity faces in reconciling empathic consciousness with the environmental limits of the biosphere.

Part III of Jeremy Rifkin's 'The Empathic Civilization' explores the contemporary phase of human history termed 'The Age of Empathy,' focusing on the tension between growing global empathy and escalating environmental entropy. The section outlines chapters addressing humanity's climb to global peak empathy, the planetary crisis of resource depletion, the rise of distributed capitalism, the evolving social self, and the emergence of biosphere consciousness within a climax economy. The introduction and first chapter highlight the paradox of human history where increased empathic awareness has coincided with greater energy consumption and environmental degradation, posing a critical challenge for civilization's survival.