Foundation of Evil and Its Relationship with Thought Processes, Disease, and Medical Practice

Abstract

The question of the origin of evil is situated at the intersection of moral, theological, and philosophical realms. In modernity, attempts were made to achieve a complete separation between theological discourse and that of philosophy, and more recently, with bioethics. This article explores the conceptualization of evil and its presence in modern thought through Leibniz’s theodicy, Kant’s theory, Nietzsche’s perspective on evil, and Hannah Arendt’s approach to the radicalization and banality of evil. Various forms of understanding evil (instrumental, demonic, idealistic, stupid, selfish,
and sadistic pleasure) are considered, aiming to establish their relationship with medical practice while acknowledging the complexity of this relationship. A systematic search for information was conducted, and through bioethical and hermeneutical analysis, it is possible to conclude that the concept of evil has been approached from theological (in relation to sin), moral (Kantian), and political (Arendt) perspectives, all linked to actions resulting in harm to the patient. Examining patients’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences with maleficence provides valuable input for the development
of new research directions.