[Robotbeat]

I think it's a mammalian thing, not just a human thing. It's right in the word: mammal, "of the breast." Animals which suckle their young. Some level of empathy for things other than oneself is required, and this spills over to other individuals and species. And for social animals, having a broader net of empathy that encompasses non-directly-related individuals, empathy also enhances survival. And I think you could make the case that animals sometimes help each other out when facing a common threat, i.e. warning of predators, etc. As humans, we can perhaps see the importance of spreading the net of empathy ever-wider.