Bases Quote by Pankaj Mishra
“I think excessive rationality can be very dangerous. Certainly the kind of rationality we've seen in the last hundred years, and still see on a daily basis when Madeleine Albright says that it's all right, we have to live with the idea of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children dying because it contains Saddam Hussein.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on foreign policy, 2015
Excessive rationality can justify horrific outcomes when detached from moral empathy.
In simple terms: Rational thinking without compassion can be dangerous.
Key Takeaway
Balance logic with ethical concern.
Themes
ethics
politics
humanity
Mood
concerned
serious
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- war decisions
- humanitarian aid
- government planning
- public discourse
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
policy analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure empathy guides policy?
- What safeguards stop cold calculations from harming innocents?
A Different Perspective
Rationality alone cannot prevent moral failures.
