Review of Ernst Fischer and Detlev Ganten's work “Die Idee des Humanen”  - The Idea of Humanity

To mark the 200th birthday of the two researchers Rudolf Virchow and Hermann von Helmholtz, professors Ernst Peter Fischer and Detlev Ganten present a historical study of the concept of health. “Die Idee des Humanen” tells the exciting and diverse history of medicine in a diachronic examination of the word “health.” In the book, the authors call for reconciliation between the natural sciences and the humanities, but also between politics, economics, the environment, and science, in order to build a healthy society together. Following the example of the Berlin School of Medicine, the book outlines a possible future society of health and a strategy for its realization.

The concept of health throughout history

Historically, people linked their knowledge of philosophy, religion, science, and culture together; it was not recorded or considered separately: a true reflection of life. Fischer and Ganten establish connections between the macrocosm and the microcosm: as early as the Middle Ages, the human body was described as a reflection of the cosmos. Today, we talk about homeostasis, which prevails in the organism, i.e., “the balance of bodily functions understood within the framework of an open dynamic system.” The current view of the human body is described as an interwoven network in which many bacteria and microbes live together in harmony. This draws a common thread from the approach of understanding the organism as a mechanical apparatus, a machine consisting of many smaller parts, to a highly diverse ecosystem, the human being as a ‘holobiont’ in which many interdependent or even symbiotic bacteria live.

Vision Virchow 2.0: A scientifically based society

The authors outline their vision of a future society guided by science. In their opinion, the pattern of deconstructing a binary worldview should shape the thinking of the future. Ideally, a society would emerge that no longer consists of polarities and complementarities, as in the Romantic era, but instead exists in a global and centerless equilibrium. This form of society would ultimately bring an end to the anthropocentric worldview and duality. A step forward for humanity. The Berlin School of Medicine serves as a model for this:  Health City Berlin 2030, with Charité University Medicine at its heart, where politics, business, and culture come together to improve people's health.

Call to action

In the last part of the book, the authors call for a global call to action, as already done by international institutions.  Examples cited: The United Nations has set itself the goal of replacing poverty and hunger with peace and justice. These are just some of the  17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN to be achieved by 2030. The two professors also refer to international strategies such as the World Health Summit (WHS), which adopts a holistic approach to health, and the M8 Alliance, which has set itself the global goal of promoting healthier societies. Global environmental responsibility also plays an important role, raising ethical and human rights issues. Politicians in particular are being called upon to show greater commitment and interest in the environment. Continuing education is an important part of future society, as it was in the concept developed by Virchow and Helmholtz. Fischer and Ganten also call for a shift in the conservative medical perspective toward prevention as the most important, leading approach in medicine, so that diseases can be better controlled.

Conclusion

The book by Ernst Peter Fischer and Detlev Ganten is refreshing and instructive. Its optimistic perspective offers hope for the future. The philosophical, historical, and didactic explanations are inspiring. One criticism that can be levelled at the book is its lack of discussion of psychology. The book understands a healthy organism primarily as physical. Mental illnesses are only considered to a limited extent. Nevertheless, this diverse treatise, with its mixture of various research areas, brings a breath of fresh air. It is a reminder of the importance of a holistic view of human beings and their health, an appeal to humanity, which today often takes a back seat to individual figures or material considerations.

Marine Quesnel & Dr. Jessica D.S. Knall Seemeyer