The Washington Post has a fascinating story on new brain
research suggesting that our altruistic responses come from the
deep old emotional centers of the brain, rather than the newer
rational calculation parts. Other well-known research has shown
that women are more likely to use their whole brain in
reasoning, whereas men are more likely to use one part or
another. Women are more likely to incorporate their emotional
responses in their reasoning, whereas men are more likely to
separate "cold" reason from their emotions. And everyone knows
that men are more likely to commit crimes than women are. SO,
putting these facts together, perhaps men and women have a
similar altruistic emotional response to the plight of others,
based on empathy. And men and women also make rational
calculations about how their self-interest would be served by
acting altruistically versus selfishly, even to the point of
harming others for my own gain. The difference is that women are
more likely to act with a response that tries to i