Last update:

   31-May-2016
 

Arch Hellen Med, 33(Supplement 1), 2016, 18-24

SPECIAL ARTICLE

Human arrogance or acceptance of reality?
The passionate rationalism should be replaced by apathetic (passionless) rationalism

A.A. Prokopiou
St George's Medical School, University of London at University of Nicosia, Department of Medical Ethics and Law, Cyprus

Balancing between arrogant knowledge and sensible and wise acceptance of the human limits, the author attempts to answer the question "when should we die?" (WSWD). Four key causes are identified and investigated, which the author believes are affecting people's way of thinking and acting. These causes (the effect of technology, the power of authority, the power of selfishness, the weakness of self-criticism and self-control) are analyzed briefly. In conclusion, it would be beneficial to mankind if passionate rationalism (i.e. logic enriched only by human pride that everything should be solved on the sole criterion of pure knowledge) could be replaced by "apathetic", passionless, rationalism (a logic which will be free from a passionate approach). Therefore, yes to the acceptance and development of the logic and knowledge, but always when these are intertwined with the spirit and beauty of soul and of the timeless core values. Only then death could be approached as a natural outcome and not as a technical necessity.

Key words: Euthanasia, Good death, Passionate rationalism, Passionless rationalism, Right time to die (RTD), When should we be born (WSWB), When should we die (WSWD), Technology.


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