Can a medicine also be a poison? No drug is completely safe, and some can be harmful under certain circumstances. In ancient Greece, the term pharmakon was used to describe a substance that could both heal and harm. However, in a philosophical sense, pharmakon has a much broader meaning and can refer to various aspects of life and problems arising from the complex and ambiguous nature of things and phenomena we encounter.
Pharmakon in philosophy & ethics
The term pharmakon appears in Plato's dialogues. In one of the richest and most beautiful texts of the great Greek thinker — Phaedrus — the central conversation takes place between Socrates and Phaedrus, where pharmakon symbolizes language and writing. The myth of Thoth and Thamus is Plato's reflection on the role of speech and writing in the transmission of knowledge.
Socrates tells the story of the Egyptian god Thoth, who presents his discovery of writing to Pharaoh Thamus. Thoth argues that writing is a remedy for memory, something that enhances and strengthens it. However, Thamus sees writing not as a cure for improving memory but merely as a tool for recalling what might otherwise be easily forgotten.
Relying on a written text is seen as feigning erudition and extensive knowledge, which in reality proves to be superficial and deceptive. The knowledge presented comes from an external source, such as a book, rather than from the individual's own mind. In Thamus' understanding, writing is a poison, not a remedy.
According to Plato, language and writing are pharmakons — they have the power to both heal and harm. Language can be used to convey truth and understanding, but it can also serve as a tool for manipulation and misinformation.
Plato’s skepticism toward written words stems from the fact that books do not always end up in the right hands, making misunderstandings inevitable. When someone seeks dialogue, they remain silent — just like paintings. They cannot respond to questions or engage in conversation; instead, they always convey the same message, unchanged.
Thamus' argument became a starting point for the critique of emerging media, such as television, print, and the internet, which were originally intended as remedies for humanity but have often turned out to be poisons — modern pharmakons.
Plato's position is closely aligned with the views of Jacques Derrida. According to the French philosopher, writing creates the illusion of wisdom and possesses only the ability to aid recollection. It highlights the distinction between thoughts and the speech that depends on them, versus the lifeless, external sign inscribed on a sheet of paper.
At the same time, Derrida criticizes Plato for advocating a form of memory so perfect that it is independent of written signs. The French philosopher does not deny the possibility of possessing an excellent memory, but he considers the idea of unlimited memory to be an oxymoron. Such memory, in his view, would be nothing more than a continuous flow of moments, creating an eternal present.
In Nietzsche's philosophy, which emerged at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the concept of pharmakon relates to human nature and morality. According to the German philosopher, man is a pharmakon unto himself — a being capable of acting in both a healing and harmful manner. Humanity possesses the ability to create values and moral systems, yet it is also susceptible to destructive tendencies driven by greed or selfishness.
According to Nietzsche, human morality is always a result of the interplay between two types of morality: master morality and slave morality. Only by gaining control over the forces that drive us can we attain happiness and achieve harmony.
Pharmakon – Contemporary References
Today, the concept of pharmakon is often applied in the context of technology and science, which are advancing at a rapid pace, bringing more discoveries and innovations. Information technology, military technology, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology can offer numerous benefits to humanity, but they also pose risks to our privacy, security, freedom, and health. New drugs, vaccines, and gene therapies are also pharmakons — they have the power both to heal and to potentially worsen our condition.
The concept of pharmakon is equally significant in the context of ethics and morality, both in the past and today. In everyday life, we frequently face numerous choices, and our decisions can have either positive or negative consequences — not only for ourselves but also for others. What initially seems beneficial to us may ultimately turn out to be destructive.
Undoubtedly, pharmakon is an important and timeless concept that highlights the complex and ambiguous nature of things and phenomena. Although this term is not commonly used in everyday language, it is worth taking a moment to reflect on where we might find modern pharmakons in our actions, choices, and surroundings. Are we truly making the right decisions? Is the unchecked use of the benefits and achievements of modern science and technology good for us, or could it — often unknowingly — lead us toward destruction?
Sources:
- https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Derrida
- Fajdros, przeł. W.Witwicki, Warszawa 1958 (wyd. 3)
- Jacques Derrida, Struktura, znak i gra w dyskursie nauk humanistycznych, przeł. M. Adamczyk, „Pamiętnik Literacki” 1986 z. 2.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmakon_(philosophy)
