Story forms a large part of the lives we lead. In this article, I consider some ways in which storytelling can be used to develop empathy and understanding in practitioners of the caring professions. En route, I introduce the distinction between true and real stories, discuss the importance of hypothetical stories in modern moral philosophy and show how storytelling can contribute to the development of thinking about practice. I also offer reasons for my view that empathy is central to skilled and ethical caring and touch on some ethical issues, including the apparent seriousness with which the value of confidentiality is upheld within the caring professions.
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Gavin J. Fairbairn (2002) studied this question.
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