Medical futures

Abstract

This paper examines forecasts made by writers, medical and non-medical alike, as to the nature of medicine in future societies. In particular, starting from Plato and Sir Thomas More, it explores what place (if any) has been envisaged for medicine in a utopian society. By way of an explanatory device, predictions concerning medicine are compared and contrasted with expectations as to the role of the sciences, natural and social. Investigation of the corpus of social prognostications in fact reveals a dearth of glorious expectations for the future of medicine as such, though certain writings have held out great hopes for biologistic disciplines, such as eugenics. It is often in ‘golden age’ fantasies about the early history of humankind that the most glowing descriptions of complete health are painted. Similarly, perfect health is something often viewed not in social but in individualistic terms. Explanations are offered of these perhaps slightly surprising facts.