I completely disagree.

Intelligence isn't empathy. Intelligence is problem solving ability, and empathy will never have anything to do with intelligence.

Also, if one has to feel empathy in order to act ethically (those actions for the greater good), then woe is mankind. I grew up in a world where we were taught to consider others. We didn't have to feel empathy for them - we just had to consider whether our actions affected them negatively or not. And as we were also taught to live ethical lives, that is what we did.