The links between health and the environment, particularly in children
One knows intuitively that there is a link between health and the environment: when living conditions are poor, there is a greater risk of developing certain diseases. However Jean-François Mattéi goes beyond this routine view and adopts an essentially humanist approach. He sees the human being as an entity in which body and mind are irretrievably bound up together: indeed he does not only consider the physical attacks from which the body suffers but also seeks to denounce the ugliness or infinite depression of many environments, that can be regarded as veritable attacks on the mind. He also pushes back the boundaries of the definitions of disease by considering social practices such as violence or drug taking to be morbid symptoms. Producing this survey focused on the men, women and children of tomorrow required interviews with several dozen specialists. It attempts a synthesis of a large number of specialities that are still far too compartmentalised. It concludes that there is a need to formulate a system of eco-ethics which - together with bio-ethics, another field of consideration for Jean-François Mattéi – could be the basis for the political action of tomorrow.
Short title:
Health and environment
Start date:
1996-01
End date:
1996-02
Project leader:
Office Parlementaire d´Evaluation des Choix Scientifiques et Technologiques of the French Parliament (OPECST)
Country:
France

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