Able Quote by Hippocrates
“The physician must be able to tell the antecedents, know the present, and foretell the future — must mediate these things, and have two special objects in view with regard to disease, namely, to do good or to do no harm.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Hippocratic Corpus, c. 400 BC
A physician must understand past causes, current condition, and anticipate outcomes, aiming to help and avoid harm.
In simple terms: Doctors should know history, present, and future of illness, and do good.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize patient welfare and non‑maleficence.
Themes
medicine
ethics
patient care
Mood
thoughtful
responsible
Type
ethical
clinical
When to use this quote
- clinical assessment
- treatment planning
- risk management
Key Concepts
causality
diagnosis
prognosis
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you ensure you do no harm when outcomes are uncertain?
- What methods improve future predictions?
A Different Perspective
Balancing predictive certainty with limited knowledge is challenging.
