Quos Deus Vult Perdere, Prius Dementat—Brexit and Its Aftermath: Keynote Speech
Files
Description
The original of the refrain in the title, in Sophocles’ Antigone—τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ᾽ ἐσθλὸν τῷδ᾽ ἔμμεν' ὅτῳ φρένας θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν (evil appears as good in the minds of those who gods lead to destruction)—is actually more subtle for it places at least some of the responsibility for our self-destructive behaviour in the hands of us, mortal humans. And what is madness in the affairs of State? Here I will borrow from Carlo Cipolla’s classic Basic Rules of Human Stupidity: A course of action is wise when it brings benefits to you as well as to others. It is malevolent but not irrational if it brings benefit to you and harm to others. It is plain and simply stupid when it causes harm to others as well as to yourself. Pick any of the three versions above and, I would submit, it applies to Brexit and its aftermath.
Source Publication
Shaping a New Legal Order for Europe: A Tale of Crises and Opportunities
Publication Date
2017
Recommended Citation
Weiler, Joseph H. H., "Quos Deus Vult Perdere, Prius Dementat—Brexit and Its Aftermath: Keynote Speech" (2017). Faculty Chapters. 1485.
https://gretchen.law.nyu.edu/fac-chapt/1485
