Maria Chorianopoulou

This paper aims to link and compare two different conceptions of death during the Enlightenment era with contemporary bioethical concerns. Eugenios Voulgaris integrates his understanding of death into the wider philosophical and theological framework of Orthodoxy. He emphasizes a dignified acceptance of death without hastening it, viewing any attempt to artificially prolong life as a form of hubris against divine providence. Conversely, Kant’s rationalist perspective categorically rejects euthanasia and suicide, viewing them as violations of the categorical imperative. Kant upholds the preservation of life as a perfect duty, emphasizing autonomy and dignity. This comparative analysis highlights the ethical and philosophical divergence between Voulgaris’ theologically influenced acceptance of death and Kant’s strict moral framework opposing the intentional ending of life. The study underscores the relevance of these Enlightenment perspectives in informing contemporary debates on euthanasia and the moral dimensions of end-of-life decisions.

Τὸ παρὸν δοκίμιο διερευνᾶ τὴν ἔννοια τῆς ἠθικῆς βελτίωσης μέσω τῆς τεχνολογίας ὡς θρησκευτική – θεολογικὴ ἐπιταγή, ἐρειδόμενη στὶς διδα-σκαλίες τῆς Ἁγίας Γραφῆς, καὶ συγκεκριμένα στὸ Α΄ Πέτρου 1:16 («ἅγιοι γίνεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος εἰμί») καὶ στὴν Πρὸς Ρωμαίους 12:2 («με-ταμορφοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοός»). Ἐξετάζεται ἡ σύνθετη καὶ ἀμφι-λεγόμενη ἰδέα ἑνὸς ὑποθετικοῦ ‘μηχανήματος τοῦ Θεοῦ,’ τὸ ὁποῖο θὰ μποροῦσε νὰ ἀκυρώνει ἐν τῇ γενέσει τους ὁρισμένες ἠθικῶς ἀνεπιθύμη-τες ροπὲς καὶ νὰ περιορίζει τὶς ἀντίστοιχες ἐπιλογές. Τὸ δοκίμιο ἑστιάζει στὶς ἠθικὲς προεκτάσεις μιᾶς τέτοιας ἐξωτερικῆς παρέμβασης στὴν δια-μόρφωση τῆς ἠθικῆς συμπεριφορᾶς, ἰδίως ὡς πρὸς τὸ ἐνδεχόμενο τοῦ περιορισμοῦ τῆς ἐλευθερίας τοῦ ἠθικοῦ προσώπου. Ἐξετάζεται τὸ ἐρώτη-μα κατὰ πόσον τέτοιες τεχνολογικὲς παρεμβάσεις θὰ μποροῦσαν νὰ θεωρηθοῦν ἠθικὰ ἐπιτρεπτές, στὴν περίπτωση ποὺ τὰ ἠθικὰ πρόσωπα ἐπέλεγαν ἐλεύθερα νὰ περιορίσουν ὁρισμένες πτυχὲς τῆς αὐτονομίας τους, προκειμένου νὰ ἀνταποκριθοῦν στὴν θεία ἐπιταγὴ τῆς ἐπιδίωξης τῆς ἁγιότητας διὰ τῆς μεγιστοποίησης τῆς αὐτονομίας τους κατὰ τὴν καντιανὴ νοηματοδότηση τοῦ ὅρου, ἤτοι τῆς ἀποδέσμευσής τους ἀπὸ τὴν φυσικὴ ἑτερονομία στὴν ὁποία ὑπόκειται ἡ ἀνθρώπινη κατάσταση.

The principal objective of this essay is to briefly present and discuss what could be thought of as Engelhardt's two approaches on animality. The first, rather literal use of the term, refers to non-rational animals stricto sensu, while the second and more important one thematizes humanity's ontological self-degradation resulting from the dominant pleasure-oriented culture of our time. As for the first, aiming to moderate his outright acceptance of animal use, I invoke Dworkin's insights on sanctity, which substantiate a plausible alternative stance. As for the second, I attempt to critically reconstruct the way in which, according to Engelhardt, humanity, having rejected every transcendent inquiry, is increasingly embracing its lower nature. In conclusion, I will hint that this return to animality may be impeded by upcoming challenges that already leave a noticeable imprint on a global scale.