"Empathy isn't conditional" I mean sure in the sense that it's an automatic response but like how much precedence you give to someone's feelings is absolutely conditional on their willingness to coexist.

Anything else is pathologically paralysing. Oh shit someone is running at me with a knife going "I am going to skin you, eat you, and kill you. In that order." but wait, is it right to run or fight? I mean whomst among us can say whether my feelings or their's matter more. These are deep philosophical questions.

There's some intensely stupid stuff on trek sometime.