Ramachandran said that mirror neurons are the basis of society. This might be considered stretching the data. But let’s! (It's fun!)
So, why? We don’t really know the answer to that question (see review of Christakis & Fowler book - really worth reading).
What if neuroscience showed us a way? What if mirror neurons – or more accurately, a neurological system that both could identify others’ goals and made us imitate them when we identify with that person whether we are aware of it and whether we like it or not – could explain it?
The issue with the mirror neuron hypothesis is that as far as I understand it, I would have to see you eat or smoke in order to be able to internalize that goal. But according to this research, that does not seem to be necessary.
There has got to be a mechanism though. We just don’t know what it is yet. And without speculation, we never will!
