Empathy

       After talking about the horrible things people do in class. I wondered, what could cause people to try to actually hurt other people so they can make a buck. Later during the week, I happened to stumble upon an article that discussed the root of all evil. The scientist, Simon Baron-Cohen, talks about how he believes that the source of all evil is simply a lack of empathy. He discusses how he wishes that his advances in science will be able to influence Ethics and Morality and provide more evidence for discussion. Naturally, since greed has been on my mind since we continually talked about wall street and the government.
       Even though the article talks mainly about evils such as killing and genocide, this can definitely apply for greed. However, if greed is merely the lack of empathy for others, that would mean the more one desires objects, the less empathy one possesses. But, there is a very fine line between trying to gain possessions and actual greed, and at a certain point, it does cross that line from desire to greed. Although that line is not known, people can recognize when it is passed.

Question: Does that mean that since the more one desires, the less empathy one possesses? If that is the case, does the desire to earn money and live a life of comfort mean one has less empathy for other beings.