Therapeutic nihilism

Therapeutic nihilism

Therapeutic nihilism is a contention that curing people, or societies, of their ills by treatment is impossible.

In medicine, it was connected to the idea that many "cures" do more harm than good, and that one should instead encourage the body to heal itself. Michel de Montaigne espoused this view in his Essais. This position was later popular, among other places, in France in the 1820s and 1830s, but has mostly faded away in the modern era due to the development of provably effective medicines such as antibiotics, starting with the release of sulfonamide in 1936. A variant of the belief is still held by people who believe in homeopathy and other forms of alternative medicine.

In relation to society, it was the idea that nothing can be done to cure society of the problems facing it. It was never mainstream thought and did not grow beyond its origins in early 20th century Germany. It had no main proponent save for the novelist Joseph Conrad whose writings reflect the theory.Fact|date=February 2007

External links

* [http://homeoint.org/morrell/articles/nihilism.htm Article by Peter Morell on therapaeutic nihilism] , focusing on the term's use in medicine]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • therapeutic nihilism — n skepticism regarding the worth of therapeutic agents esp. in a particular disease * * * skepticism regarding the therapeutic value of drugs or treatment procedures …   Medical dictionary

  • therapeutic nihilism — noun : skepticism regarding the worth of therapeutic agents especially in a particular disease …   Useful english dictionary

  • Nihilism — This article is about the philosophical doctrines. For other uses, see Nihilism (disambiguation). Certainty series Agnosticism Belief Certainty Doubt Determini …   Wikipedia

  • nihilism — 1. In psychiatry, the delusion of the nonexistence of everything, especially of the self or part of the self. 2. Engagement in acts that are totally destructive to one s own purposes and those of one s group. [L. nihil, nothing] therapeutic n. a… …   Medical dictionary

  • Glossary of alternative medicine — This is a glossary for terms and concepts being used in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), an umbrella term for a large number of practices that fall outside the scope of conventional medicine. NOTOC AAcupunctureAcupuncture is the… …   Wikipedia

  • Minimally conscious state — Classification and external resources MeSH D018458 Minimally Conscious State (MCS) is a disorder of consciousness distinct from Persistent vegetative state and Locked in syndrome. Unlike persistent vegetative state, patients with MCS have partial …   Wikipedia

  • Therapy — For other uses, see Therapy (disambiguation). Therapy Intervention MeSH D013812 Therapy (in Greek: θεραπεία), or treatment, is the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually fo …   Wikipedia

  • History of psychiatric institutions — Social alienation was one of the main themes in Francisco Goya s masterpieces, such as The Madhouse (above). The story of the rise of the lunatic asylum and its gradual transformation into, and eventual replacement by, the modern psychiatric… …   Wikipedia

  • Hippocratic Oath — For other uses, see Hippocratic Oath (disambiguation). A 12th century Byzantine manuscript of the Oath, rendered in the form of a cross. The Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by physicians and other healthcare professionals swearing… …   Wikipedia

  • Hippocratic Oath — One of the oldest binding documents in history, the Oath written by Hippocrates is still held sacred by physicians: to treat the ill to the best of one s ability, to preserve a patient s privacy, to teach the secrets of medicine to the next… …   Medical dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”