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Anthroposophic Medicine

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Integrative Pediatric Oncology

Part of the book series: Pediatric Oncology ((PEDIATRICO))

Abstract

Compared with other traditional healing systems, anthroposophic medicine is a relatively young branch of medicine which goes back only about 90 years. It was founded in the 1920s by the natural scientist Rudolf Steiner and the physician Ita Wegman. Translated more or less literally, anthroposophic medicine means human medicine (anthropos (Gr.) = human being; sophia = wisdom). It describes a concept of holistic and integrative medicine which places the human being, with all his or her possible forms of knowledge and experience, at the center of its diagnostic and therapeutic endeavors. Like other traditional healing systems such as traditional Chinese medicine and ayurvedic medicine, for example, anthroposophic medicine is based on a spiritual worldview and view of the human being. An important characteristic of this worldview is the joint evolution of the universe, the earth and the human being. Other fields apart from medicine in which anthroposophic knowledge and insights are applied include biodynamic farming, Waldorf education with Waldorf kindergartens and Waldorf schools, educational institutions, and communities for people with special needs and in certain areas of economic life, for example, in banking and law.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Centre for Integrative Medicine, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus, University of Witten/Herdecke, Herdecke, Germany

    Alfred Längler

  2. Department for Integrative Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Centre for Integrative Pediatric Oncology, Herdecke, Germany

    Alfred Längler

  3. Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Georg Seifert

Authors
  1. Alfred Längler
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  2. Georg Seifert
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Correspondence to Alfred Längler .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. Kinderheilkunde und Jugendmedizin, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, Herdecke, 58313, Germany

    Alfred Längler

  2. The Cancer Team at Bellin Health, Commanche Avenue 1580, Green Bay, 54313, Wisconsin, USA

    Patrick J. Mansky

  3. Dept. of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Dept. of Pediatric Hematol Oncol, Universitätsklinikum Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, 13353, Berlin, Germany

    Georg Seifert

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Längler, A., Seifert, G. (2012). Anthroposophic Medicine. In: Längler, A., Mansky, P., Seifert, G. (eds) Integrative Pediatric Oncology. Pediatric Oncology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04201-0_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04201-0_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-04200-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-04201-0

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