In Defence of (Traditional) Medicine

Anna IRSAK

Chair of Ethics, Institute of Theoretical Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, Poland , Poland

Abstract

The transhumanist ideas are gaining popularity and their implementation is proposed with an increasing audacity. To be put in practice, however, transhumanism requires the cooperation of medicine, which, as all human activities, is determined by its essence and its proper aims. According to the traditional concept of medicine, its main, unchanging goal is to help the patient by administering appropriate treatment. In this view, the good of the patient is the highest value. Thus the foundations of cooperation between medicine and transhumanism must be respect for every human individual and the fulfilment of the therapeutic aim. Is it possible for transhumanism to meet these conditions? Are the transhumanists interested in the good of the person and in healing her? Does the medicine that opens itself to the transhumanist ideas still deserve the name of medicine? The paper presents a comparison of medicine and transhumanism, analyzing their respective aims, as well as the means they employ to reach these aims. The comparison points to the traditional medicine as to a discipline that corresponds to the authentic good of the human being.

Keywords:

transhumanism, traditional medicine, aims of medicine, philosophy of medicine