Exoteric knowledge and esoteric knowledge. Ludwik Fleck, pedigrees and the visualization of pathological heredity

Area of Science:

• History of Science
• Medical Humanities
• Sociology of Knowledge

Background:

• Ludwik Fleck's concept of the "ideogram" as a graphic condensation of a thought style.
• Pedigrees as visual representations utilized by both scientific experts and laypersons.
• The historical interplay between esoteric (specialized) and exoteric (public) knowledge circles.

Observation:

• Pedigrees in 20th-century medicine served as ideograms, embodying specific thought styles.
• Analysis traces the transformation and varied applications of pedigrees across different medical fields.
• Distinct characteristics of pedigrees are observed in eugenics, clinical medicine, human genetics, and molecular genetics.

Findings:

• Pedigrees exhibit stable, yet distinct, characteristics within different medical domains.
• These characteristics reflect the evolving boundaries and roles of specialized versus public medical knowledge.
• The visual nature of pedigrees facilitates the communication and understanding of complex genetic information.

Implications:

• Understanding pedigree evolution offers insights into the social construction of medical facts.
• Highlights the role of visual tools in disseminating and shaping scientific understanding.
• Informs how medical information is communicated across different knowledge communities.