Is empathy an illusion?

[r0ckyreed]

After watching Leo’s Health Situation video on the blog, he shared some powerful insights on empathy that had me rethink what it really is and how it works. His insights were similar to Osho’s when a man was trying to understand englightenment. Osho replied: “how can you understand something that you have never experienced? If you have never tasted sugar, how can you understand what sugar tastes like?” 
 

Leo said a similar insight in his video Health Situation at around 1 hr 28 mins. He said “You cannot understand another persons situation unless you have experienced their suffering.” He gives the example of homeless in that we can imagine what it is like, but we do not Actually know what it’s like.

 

What troubles me is that there is a massive contradiction.  In Leo’s Implicit Understanding video, he gives the example of how to understand something without experiencing it!! He says that we can understand infinity without experiencing the natural numbers go to infinity. 
 

I am lost here. Any help please? 

[Artsu]

If the past is imaginary, then it follows that experience is not needed.

To understand something, you don't need to experience it, you just need to understand it.

It helps with empathy to have experienced it yourself, but it is not needed.

[NorthNow]

Everything is an illusion. 

[Gesundheit]

Don't take anyone's opinions seriously. Make your own opinions.