Health as Complete Well-Being: The WHO Definition and Beyond

Schramme, Thomas ORCID: 0000-0001-6319-6635 (2023) Health as Complete Well-Being: The WHO Definition and Beyond PUBLIC HEALTH ETHICS, 16 (3). pp. 210-218. ISSN 1754-9973, 1754-9981

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Abstract

The paper defends the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of health against widespread criticism. The common objections are due to a possible misinterpretation of the word complete in the descriptor of health as ‘complete physical, mental and social well-being’. Complete here does not necessarily refer to perfect well-being but can alternatively mean exhaustive well-being, that is, containing all its constitutive features. In line with the alternative reading, I argue that the WHO definition puts forward a holistic account, not a notion of perfect health. I use historical and analytical evidence to defend this interpretation. In the second part of the paper, I further investigate the two different notions of health (holistic health and perfect health). I argue that both ideas are relevant but that the holistic interpretation is more adept for political aims.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	5003 Philosophy, 50 Philosophy and Religious Studies, 5002 History and Philosophy Of Specific Fields, 3 Good Health and Well Being
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences > School of the Arts
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	24 Aug 2023 09:39
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2026 12:19
DOI:	10.1093/phe/phad017
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3172327
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