What Can Complex Abdominal Wall Hernia Surgeons Learn About Quality of Life From Ancient Greek Philosophers?

Author(s): Olivia Smith, Miriam Isaac, Thomas Elanjithara, Praminthra Chitsabesan and Srinivas Chintapatla

Ancient philosophers were the first to explore the concept of quality of life. Their conceptual views although complemented, challenged or replaced by other schools of thought such as Positivism, still underpin many modern thoughts pertaining to quality of life. QoL and its measurement are vital in healthcare. Often it is a perceived deterioration in QoL that prompts a surgical consult. Here, we outline some Greek philosophical thoughts about quality of life and highlight implica