Poetry and the Science of Compassion

Poetry and the Science of Compassion follows Professor Patrick Pietroni’s successful first small publication, The Poetry of Compassion, again using a modest selection of poems. Professor Pietroni outlines how science, especially neuroscience, has allowed us to begin to understand the biological, chemical, and physical nature of compassion. A brief description of the various neurotransmitters that make up a compassionate response is followed by an explanation of how the vagus nerve interacts with these transmitters and allows mankind to exert some conscious control over them. The poets and contributors include William Blake, Loretta Breuring, William Shakespeare, and Dylan Foss.