Things That Bang

Scientists seem to be tripping over mirror neurons which they believe as the cause for feelings like empathy and altruism:

On Nov. 4, neuroscientists announced that mirror neurons had for the first time been directly identified in humans.Enthusiasm among scientists has been spreading as growing evidence suggests that "mirrors" may explain the roots of human empathy and altruism as well as provide insight into such disorders as autism and even schizophrenia. But that's not all. In the past few years, dozens of studies have linked mirror neurons to the emergence of language, abstract reasoning and even self-awareness or consciousness. "The self and the other are just two sides of the same coin. To understand myself, I must recognize myself in other people," says Marco Iacoboni.

But there are others who are quite vocal in their descent:

The truth turned out to be much more complex," says Gopnik. "The idea that a kind of neuron alone could explain empathy or behavior or self-consciousness simply makes no sense. "It's just as likely that those neurons are mirroring because people are imitating each other and feeling empathy, not the other way around," says Gopnik.