Saúde, doença e normatividade: uma abordagem filosófica

This paper examines the concept of health from a philosophical perspective, tracing its evolution from ancient to modern and contemporary contexts. It argues that health is not a static or universal condition but a dynamic and multidimensional phenomenon encompassing biological, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions. Drawing on the works of Hippocrates, Avicenna, Al-Razi, Claude Bernard, Nietzsche, Canguilhem, and others, the study highlights the shifting meanings of health—from balance and harmony in ancient medicine, to mechanism and reductionism in modern science, and finally to normativity and adaptability in contemporary philosophy. The analysis shows that health and disease are not logical opposites but variations of life, revealing both the fragility and the resilience of human existence. By situating health within the broader framework of normativity, the paper underscores its ethical significance and its inseparability from cultural values and visions of the good life.