The Tetrapharmakos (Fourfold Cure) and the Sober Reasoning in Epicurus: A Critical Philosophical Paradigm against the Politicization of Medical Truth?

Αnna Ch. Markopoulou
Additional contact information
Αnna Ch. Markopoulou: University of Sorbonne (Paris V René Descartes)

Journal of Posthumanism, 2022, vol. 2, issue 1, 31-35

Abstract: In the present paper, we will discuss how the therapeutic effect of Epicurean philosophy as a pharmakon for human passions constitutes a critical philosophical paradigm against the politicization of medical truth. More specifically, we will argue that the concept of correcting habits of thought, which confers a philosophical meaning on the Greek word pharmakon, constructs a dialectical relationship of unity between nature and man. Then we will show that this conception is in contrast to the traditional meaning of pharmakon as an artificial means of therapy, which is ideologicalised in the politicization of medical truth, since it presupposes a technocratic conception leading to a dualism between superior technology, which rules, and inferior human nature, which is ruled. We will argue that establishing an enhancement of human nature as it ensues from the Epicurean ethics of the tetrapharmakos constitutes a critical philosophical paradigm against the politicization of medical truth.

Keywords: Epicurus; Pharmakon; Sober reasoning; Politicization; Medical truth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.tplondon.com/jp/article/view/1856/1521 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mig:jpjrnl:v:2:y:2022:i:1:p:31-35

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://journals.tpl ... ormation/librarians/

DOI: 10.33182/joph.v2i1.1856

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Posthumanism is currently edited by S meyra Buran, agdas Dedeoglu, Yunus Tuncel and Pelin K mbet

More articles in Journal of Posthumanism from Transnational Press London, UK
Bibliographic data for series maintained by TPLondon ().