They have a lot of work to do, as to search for facts about EMPATHY. I don't think can denay its existance.
They have never denied it's existence. In fact, they have found (tentitively) what many believe are neurons that were the pre-curser to empathy:
mirror neurons
quote:
A mirror neuron is a neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another. Thus, the neuron "mirrors" the behavior of the other, as though the observer were itself acting.
What this says is, if I grab something a neuron fires in my head, but also, if you grab something the same neuron fires in my head as though I were the one grabbing it. So my brain mimics and experiences what it visually observes you, or anyone else, do.
To the point of empathy: If I get bitten by a lion, a neuron fires in my head telling me a number of things from: I'm in danger, I'm in pain, I may die. The amazing thing discovered was that the same neuron fires when I observe YOU getting bitten. The difference being, neurons in my skin are also sending a signal to my brain telling it, 'don't worry, we're not being bitten.' So I don't
feel your pain, but my brain does recognize it, even without any language, or communication, or having to hear you in pain. My brain registers your pain the same way it would if it happened to me.
Many like
Ramachandran believe this was the earliest emergence of what later became empathy. Also it is believed that these neurons play an important role in mimicry and language acquisition.
- Oni
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