Consulto medico e consulto morale: Kant, Maria von Herbert e il male del corpo e dell’anima

The article analyses the epistolary exchange between Maria von Her-­ bert and Immanuel Kant, contextualising it within 18th-­century medical consultation practices. To achieve this, the fundamental characteristics of modern medical consulta-­ tion will firstly be delineated by examining the motivations behind consultation re-­ quests, which often originated with the patients themselves, and the nature of the ex-­ pert opinions provided by consulting physicians, who were frequently renowned fig-­ ures in their field. Secondly, Kant’s role as a consultant and moral physician is empha-­ sised through an analysis of his advice to Maria von Herbert. In this advice, he propos-­ es a solution that both upholds reason and centralises the body within philosophical discourse. In conclusion, the study demonstrates how the established practice of med-­ ical consultation in the modern era paved the way for contemporary philosophical con-­ sultative practices.

Parole chiave:Immanuel Kant, Maria von Herbert, Consultation, Moral Physician, Ill-­ ness, Whole Human Being.

Marco Bresadola, Antonino Falduto, Consulto medico e consulto morale: Kant, Maria von Herbert e il male del corpo e dell’anima in "RIVISTA DI STORIA DELLA FILOSOFIA" 4/2025, pp 637-651, DOI: 10.3280/SF2025-004007