Because of empathy, we care more for, and devote far more resources to, someone who is familiar, from our country or our group, than a stranger.

I'm very interested in why we do good things, or bad things, and where moral judgments come from.

Even the charities I give to are related to things that touch my life, like the Special Olympics. I'm not fully rational; I'm swayed by my biases and my emotions.

Because of empathy, stories of the suffering of one person could lead us into a war that could kill millions of people.

Empty heads, cognitive science has taught us, learn nothing. The powerful cultural and personal flexibility of our species is owed at least in part to our starting off so well-informed; we are good learners because we know what to pay attention to and what questions are the right ones to ask.

I think Americans are always going to care more about Americans than about Mexicans.

Philosophers have often looked for the defining feature of humans — language, rationality, culture, and so on. I'd stick with this: Man is the only animal that likes Tabasco sauce.