This was originally posted on blogger.

I just learned about an interesting concept: “pharmakon.” The way I was taught it, this Greek word describes something that is both a medicine and a poison at the same time.

How is this possible? Well, as the German physician and philosopher Paracelsus says, “everything is a poison. The difference between a poison and a remedy depends on the dose.” A notable example is Botox, a “therapy” that uses very mild doses of botulinum toxin to paralyze skin cells in one’s face and prevent wrinkling. It’s okay, though a little cringe-worthy, in small doses… but just ~2 nano-grams of botulinum toxin per kilogram of bodyweight is a lethal dose – our system simply shuts down once exposed.

Pharmakon is also a term in philosophy, and for good reason. I can think of countless things that are both “remedies” for society, but also a potential source of toxicity. Consider: democracy prevents dictators from ruling forever, but also allowed the rise of populism and election of Donald Trump. Private pharmaceutical companies developed the Coronavirus vaccine extraordinarily quickly, but won’t give fair prices to the Global South. Our phones allow unbelievable amounts of communication with people all around the world, but also can be addictive and fuel loneliness in society.

It’s easy to deal with good and evil, but much harder to deal with pharmakon. When new technologies come up, like wearable computers or immersivevideo games, we have to watch out for the pitfalls and toxicity of it, even while recognizing the convenience and joy it may bring. That’s really difficult sometimes, but necessary for living in this complicated world.