Thus, the domain of compassion is wider than that of justice. I have argued above that compassion is a virtue of character, a beneficial character trait. It is one of the other-regarding virtues, but it also benefits the person who possesses it. It does so by making that person aware that he or she is not an isolated individual, but a member of a community. The community in the case of compassion is that of beings capable of suffering.
Compassion is the virtue specifically dedicated to the relief of suffering.
Without compassion our moral response to events in the world would be seriously lacking. As I noted at the outset, this is just a sketch of a defense of compassion. Much more needs to be said, especially about the role of practical reason in turning natural sympathy into the virtue of compassion. Philosophers, by offering a rational defense of compassion as a virtue, can play a positive role in the development of compassionate people.