David Eagleman

And it turns out there's been lots of studies like that from my lab, many other labs showing that we just have less empathy for people in our outgroups. We just don't care about them as much as in if they get hurt or something. So here's a study that I ran in the lab some years ago.

And it turns out there's been lots of studies like that from my lab, many other labs showing that we just have less empathy for people in our outgroups. We just don't care about them as much as in if they get hurt or something. So here's a study that I ran in the lab some years ago.

We put you in the brain scanner, functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI, and you see six hands on the screen, six hands that all pretty much look alike. And the computer goes around and picks one of the hands. And then you see that hand either get touched with a Q-tip or stabbed with a syringe needle. And yeah, exactly. Watching it was getting stabbed with a syringe needle. Is it real?

We put you in the brain scanner, functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI, and you see six hands on the screen, six hands that all pretty much look alike. And the computer goes around and picks one of the hands. And then you see that hand either get touched with a Q-tip or stabbed with a syringe needle. And yeah, exactly. Watching it was getting stabbed with a syringe needle. Is it real?

We put you in the brain scanner, functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI, and you see six hands on the screen, six hands that all pretty much look alike. And the computer goes around and picks one of the hands. And then you see that hand either get touched with a Q-tip or stabbed with a syringe needle. And yeah, exactly. Watching it was getting stabbed with a syringe needle. Is it real?

The way we filmed it is we made a syringe needle that contracts. So as you're pushing, the needle's actually going back up.

The way we filmed it is we made a syringe needle that contracts. So as you're pushing, the needle's actually going back up.

The way we filmed it is we made a syringe needle that contracts. So as you're pushing, the needle's actually going back up.

Yeah, but it looks quite horrifying. And so what we do then is the way we analyze that kind of data is we compare the two cases. And in the case where the hand is getting stabbed, you have all this area come online, this network of areas, I should say, that we summarize as the pain matrix. And that's what happens if you get hurt.

Yeah, but it looks quite horrifying. And so what we do then is the way we analyze that kind of data is we compare the two cases. And in the case where the hand is getting stabbed, you have all this area come online, this network of areas, I should say, that we summarize as the pain matrix. And that's what happens if you get hurt.

Yeah, but it looks quite horrifying. And so what we do then is the way we analyze that kind of data is we compare the two cases. And in the case where the hand is getting stabbed, you have all this area come online, this network of areas, I should say, that we summarize as the pain matrix. And that's what happens if you get hurt.

If your hand gets stabbed, the same area comes online, which is to say when you are watching someone else get stabbed, This is the neural basis of empathy. You are empathizing with their pain, even though you're not in pain. And this is great. This is what humans do is they see the pain of someone else and they empathize. What would that feel like? So that's very important.

If your hand gets stabbed, the same area comes online, which is to say when you are watching someone else get stabbed, This is the neural basis of empathy. You are empathizing with their pain, even though you're not in pain. And this is great. This is what humans do is they see the pain of someone else and they empathize. What would that feel like? So that's very important.

If your hand gets stabbed, the same area comes online, which is to say when you are watching someone else get stabbed, This is the neural basis of empathy. You are empathizing with their pain, even though you're not in pain. And this is great. This is what humans do is they see the pain of someone else and they empathize. What would that feel like? So that's very important.

But what we then did is we had the same six hands. And we labeled each one with a one word label, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Scientologist, Atheist. And now the computer goes round, picks a hand. You see that hand gets stabbed. And the question is, if it's a member of one of your out group versus your in group, does your brain care as much? And the answer is it does not.

But what we then did is we had the same six hands. And we labeled each one with a one word label, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Scientologist, Atheist. And now the computer goes round, picks a hand. You see that hand gets stabbed. And the question is, if it's a member of one of your out group versus your in group, does your brain care as much? And the answer is it does not.

But what we then did is we had the same six hands. And we labeled each one with a one word label, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Scientologist, Atheist. And now the computer goes round, picks a hand. You see that hand gets stabbed. And the question is, if it's a member of one of your out group versus your in group, does your brain care as much? And the answer is it does not.

Your brain does not care as much if it's a member of any of your outgroups that gets stabbed. And by the way, we tested this on all religions, including, by the way, atheists. Even atheists have this, which is when an atheist hand gets stabbed, they have a bigger empathic reaction than when any of the non-atheist hands get stabbed.

Your brain does not care as much if it's a member of any of your outgroups that gets stabbed. And by the way, we tested this on all religions, including, by the way, atheists. Even atheists have this, which is when an atheist hand gets stabbed, they have a bigger empathic reaction than when any of the non-atheist hands get stabbed.

Your brain does not care as much if it's a member of any of your outgroups that gets stabbed. And by the way, we tested this on all religions, including, by the way, atheists. Even atheists have this, which is when an atheist hand gets stabbed, they have a bigger empathic reaction than when any of the non-atheist hands get stabbed.