Why do right?

This is hard wired into our brains. We have neurons called mirror cells that fire when we observe reactions in others. They mirror the expression or even physical action of the observed individual.Thus we feel what others feel if it is expressed in a way we can percieve it.No mystery.ABE: People on the autistic spectrum disorder continuum sometimes display deficits in these neurons and can appear aloof and uncommunicative as they can not react well to empathic signals. Edited by Larni, : No reason given.

If we could not do the things that humans do (be able to respond immediately to the emotional reactions of others) to allow ourselves to live together in a society that (for the most part) rubs along quite well (and remember we are talking about populations rather than individuals here), then we would most likely be extinct. Empathy is a form of communication that predates language. It serves a survival purpose to see from a glance that ones friend is afraid; that most likely means there are dangers about.Our brains are vastly complex and we have had to make several developmental sacrifices to enable our biology to cope: brains that require big heads that cause serious problems when balanced against the width of the birth canal, long periods when the baby is useless at self preservation (even feeding), a brain that keeps developing structuarally after we are born (more so in males; this is why males have a higher incidence of post natal brain damage due to environmental factors), an energy requirement that could only be achieved when we eat meat and a shortened gut to balance the obscene energy requirement of our brain (which is highly energy hungry).Our brains have to jump through so many developemental hoops that the statistically small (although far greater than other similar body mass mammals) incidence of deveoplemental error (coupled with humans fantastic numbers) manisfests in many ways.One way is a total lack of empathy for other people. It is one of many errors that can arise from a fantastically intricate biological system.In simple terms, a spanner will rarely malfuction; a complex computer application (windows! I'm looking at you here) will be prone to errors.The thing to remember is that as long as the majority of human's brains work well enough to breed, there will be people with faulty brains.Thats why.

No, that is not what I am saying. People can be born with a brain set up that does not gear them up developementally to discriminate certain forms of non verbal communication.We say the wrong thing in a social group and we feel embaressed. We learn not to do the thing that makes us feel embaressed. If we could not detect a social gaff we would carry on breaking the social norms.If we commit an antisocial act and detect no sanctioning stimulous (either internally or externally) we will not learn not to do it.Empathy is simply a recognotion of someone elses internal state based on visual and audio queues given off by the observed individual.There is nothing mysterious about it. This is true. It also has nothing to do with empathy. We can 'do wrong' without coming into empathic conflict.

This is a response to the common belief by some religious types that people who do not follow a gods laws has no moral compass. It's not as simple as 'failing to percieve' is it? We often choose to make a choice that may be detrimental to others (or self) because of the short term gain.You can plot this type of behaviour experimentally very easily.We seem (as humans) to dislike usurping the rights of others as a general default position. However, this position is very easily reversed when we enter an emotional state. If we have malfunctions in our perception of our emotions (by even a slight degree - that may not show up until very specific situations occur) or the emotional pressure of the situation increases to a critical level we will act in a very selfish way.This is how we evolved to survive and has nothing to do with an imagined 'fall'.A good example of this is a drug addict. As the distress of withdrawal rises the actions the individual will undertake to reduce the distress become more extreme.People typically (with no biological motivation) do nasty things because they view it as a viable option when weighing up the cost/benefit equation.We each have a different equation in our head.

The brain consumes 20% of the body's energy. Does not seem much until you factor that it typically weighs in at about 2% of total body weight.Neurons have a high demand for energy, even during sleep. The electrochemical signals from one neuron to another (or NS cell) consume 50% of all the brain's energy (nearly 10% of the whole body's energy just in electrochemical activity).It's a hungry hungry hippo.

What leads you to this conclusion?

Yup,; I don't think we ever will.

I'm sorry Ana, but to look for purpose in biological systems is to put the cart before the horse. We can choose between to choices and lable one 'right' and one 'wrong' because of all of the previous examples of psychological explanation shown as to how the human brain works. Incorrect: all we have to do is ask and we will know what 'good' means to others. Your brain can sense nothing at all. That is why we have specialized sense organs elsewhere in hte body (except for maybe the pineal gland, lol). This point is already addressed:

So without a god you would become, what?

Hmm.I see.To rephrase.If there were no xian god, what would become of moral Ana?

Then withdraw from the discussion.

Pretty dismissive of our discussion, don't you think?My point was: if you are bored of the discussion, withdraw from it.What other way did you expect me to interpret your response?