Baum Michael
Professor Emeritus of Surgery and Visiting Professor of Medical Humanities, University College London.
Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2012 Aug 10;1:16-8. doi: 10.1016/S2049-0801(12)70005-5. eCollection 2012.
This manuscript is an adapted text of an address to the Thai Royal Institution during the 'International Conference for the Celebrations on the Auspicious Occasion of His Majesty the King's 7th Cycle Birthday Anniversary'. There are many problems facing the world in the context of increasing globalization. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." The Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18), reminds us all that whatever race, religion, or culture we come from, the simple command to love ones neighbour as ourselves, is the bedrock of civilization. In response to this command, we have to ask ourselves two simple questions; how do we best express our love, and who do we consider to be our neighbour? If one loves oneself, then what is the single most important gift one would grant him/herself? Most would say the gift of good health. Therefore, if one loves others, then the gift one wants for them is also good health. These others, who one should love in an unconditional way, are one's parents, spouses, children, and grandchildren. But to whom does this duty or commandment to love extend? How wide is this circle of love? Is it the immediate family, the extended family, our village, our tribe, or our nation state?
本手稿是在“国王陛下七十大寿庆典国际会议”期间，在泰国皇家学院发表的演讲的改编文本。在全球化不断加剧的背景下，世界面临着诸多问题。《旧约·利未记》第19章第18节“要爱人如己”提醒我们所有人，无论我们来自何种种族、宗教或文化，这条简单的爱人如己的诫命，乃是文明的基石。回应这条诫命，我们必须问自己两个简单的问题：我们如何才能最好地表达爱，以及我们认为谁是我们的邻舍？如果一个人爱自己，那么他会给予自己的最重要的礼物是什么？大多数人会说好健康这份礼物。因此，如果一个人爱别人，那么他希望给予他们的礼物也是健康。这些人，即一个人应该无条件去爱的人，是自己的父母、配偶、子女和孙辈。但这种爱的责任或诫命延伸到谁身上呢？这个爱的圈子有多广？是直系亲属、大家庭、我们的村庄、我们的部落，还是我们的民族国家？
