#ef43

Jack Kevorkian: Episode EF43 is dedicated to Jack Kevorkian, a doctor who was prominent promoter and purveyor of legalizing euthanasia. For most people, his career path made him the embodiment of pure evil; to them he was more of a murderer than a doctor, earning him the nickname Doctor Death. Criticism of Kevorkian’s work usually relates to the thoroughness and inconsistency of the needed physical and psychological patient prep work. On the contrary, many of them described Kevorkian’s actions as humane and his services critically valuable. This begs the question: how much does the impression and evaluation of evil depend on perspective and intent? So was Jack Kevorkian evil or good? Or is it possible this is a question without an answer?

(EF43) Mental Relativity: Do we have evil thoughts as a guide to make better decisions? A sort of mental relativity, in the same way you can’t understand happiness without knowing sadness?

(EF43) Emotional Accountability: Facts are more reliable than emotions, but most prefer emotions because they don’t feel accountable.

(EF43) Cleansed By Fire: Fire can cook your food to keep you alive; or, it can burn everything you hold dear to the ground.

(EF43) Necessary Evil: Without ego and evil, would we have made such collective progress as a civilization?

(EF43) Power Hungry: We are prone to evil because it is baked into our evolutionary psychology to compete and dominate over others.

(EF43) Judgmental Pain: Judging something as right or wrong breaks down rapidly in the presence of suffering; pain tends to have that effect on reality.

(EF43) Ethical Inconsistencies: Doesn’t it seem as if many have a sense of morality that is often inconsistent with the way they live their lives?