of health, and point out some of the tensions inherent in embodied
human life as revealed through the window of health. An instance of such
ambiguity is Nietzsche’s startling suggestion that our seeking health with-
out any sickness is cowardice, if not barbarism, for “the sick soul” as
much as the healthy one, is needed to inspire self-knowledge and even
virtue.^11 Nietzsche’s recognition of the ambiguities inherent in human life
and health suggests a useful direction for inquiry into the meaning of
health: an adequate account of human health should allow for the funda-
mental tensions, ambiguities, and imperfections in human life.
Health and disease are not symmetrical concepts; that is, the mean-
ing of one cannot be adequately established in terms of the other. H. Tri-
stam Engelhardt holds that the concept of disease is a pragmaticconcept,
a concept by which phenomena are analyzed for the purposes of diagno-
sis, prognosis, and therapy. Health, on the other hand, is a regulativecon-
cept, a concept that establishes an ideal and guides inquiry and action to-
ward the achievement of that ideal.^12 The Constitution of the World
Health Organization provides an articulation of health as a regulative
ideal, and it affirms health as a fundamental value for both the individual
and for world culture:
- The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of
the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of
race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition. - The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace
and security and is dependent upon the fullest co-operation of indi-
viduals and States. - The achievement of any State in the promotion and protection of
health is of value to all.^13
Two influential doctrines of health illustrate descriptive and normative
concepts of health. A biologically based doctrinearticulated by Christo-
pher Boorse defines health as “functional normality.” This doctrine uses
the terms ‘health’ and ‘disease’ as descriptive, value-neutral terms. To say
that a person or an organ or system is healthy means that its functions are
normal; to say it is diseased means that its functions are abnormal, with
biostatistical data providing the criteria of normality.
... diseases are internal states that depress a functional ability below
species-typical levels. Health as freedom from disease is then statistical
normality of function, i.e., the ability to perform all typical physiologi-
cal functions with at least typical efficiency.^14
one line longmeanings of health in ̄ayurveda 49