SJ,
If you are gonna research meta-ethics, I'll see you back here in a year or two. It's not a small subject and definitely has nothing to do with karma because karma is not real, and you'll find empathy itself is founded on more fundamental concepts like radical interpretation (read some Donald Davidson for more on this).

Let's start from wanting to be good people, it's easier and the discussion naturally assumes it.

If you do want to study ethics at that level, I can give you a bunch of tips on what to read to give you a head-start.


Peace,

kowalski