In these years of Covid pandemic we have witnessed a whirlwind of news, fake news, doubts, certainties and false certainties, and interviews with experts who contradicted each other on how to preserve or regain health.
I don’t want to add to the media confusion but walking around the city I saw this building with the following words inscribed on its facade and I found it delightful, as well as true.
Health is a complex concept.
Nietzsche in The Gay Science (1882) states that “There is no such thing as health in itself, and all attempts to define a thing in that way have lamentably failed. It is necessary to know the aim, the horizon, the powers, the impulses, the errors, and especially the ideals and fantasies of the soul, in order to determine what health implies even for the body. There are consequently innumerable kinds of physical health.”
From philosophy to medicine, the subject deepens and becomes fascinating. Modern medicine has achieved undeniable standards of excellence in the treatment of many diseases. Some diseases were once irremediable. We hope that science will keep on progressing more and more yet maintaining contact with the Human Being and aiming to personalized treatments.
In the meantime, however, how wonderful to be able to inhabit such a house, full of health, peace, faith, hope, work and love! How wonderful to be able to inhabit these words.
This is also health.