Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic.
W. H. AudenRead
A doctor, like anyone else who has to deal with human beings, each of them unique, cannot be a scientist; he is either, like the surgeon, a craftsman, or, like the physician and the psychologist, an artist. This means that in order to be a good doctor a man must also have a good character, that is to say, whatever weaknesses and foibles he may have, he must love his fellow human beings in the concrete and desire their good before his own.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that being a doctor requires compassion and character, not just scientific knowledge.
In this quote, W. H. Auden reflects on the duality of a doctor's role, suggesting that while medical professionals must have scientific knowledge, they also need to embody qualities of compassion and empathy. He argues that true medical practice is an art that demands a genuine love for humanity, prioritizing the well-being of patients over personal interests. This holistic view of medicine underscores the importance of character in healthcare, asserting that a successful doctor blends the craftsman's skill with the artist's sensibility.
Themes
DoctorHumanityCompassionCharacterHealthcare
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the values of healthcare professions.
More from W. H. Auden
All quotes →That the speech of self-disclosure should be translatable seems to me very odd, but I am convinced that it is. The conclusion that I draw is that the only quality which all human being without exception possess is uniqueness: any characteristic, on the other hand, which one individual can be recognized as having in common with another, like red hair or the English language, implies the existence of other individual qualities which this classification excludes.
W. H. AudenRead
Nobody knows what the cause is, though some pretend they do; it like some hidden assassin waiting to strike at you. Childless women get it, and men when they retire; it as if there had to be some outlet for their foiled creative fire.
W. H. AudenRead
History is, strictly speaking, the study of questions; the study of answers belongs to anthropology and sociology.
W. H. AudenRead
Music is the best means we have of digesting time.
W. H. AudenRead
'Healing,' Papa would tell me, 'is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.'
W. H. AudenRead
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