Max Bill's concrete art, as an instrument against irrational thinking and arguments in medicine.

Medicine is currently confronted with an increase in irrationality, and non-scientific thinking manifesting in semingly more holistic and natural treatment options, especially in cancer therapy. The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated that irrational beliefs are widely spread even among physicians. Max Bill (1908–94) was a Swiss architect, designer, and artist representing an art style called concrete art that focuses on geometrical abstraction and mathematical thinking. December 9, 2024, will be the 30th death anniversary of Max Bill. The following manuscript describes Max Bill's life and art and tries to offer some suggestions on how his concept of art together with the philosophy of critical rationalism may be excellent instruments to teach medical students and young doctors scientific thinking, and may even be an antidote for irrationality in medicine. Key messages Max Bill was a prominent Swiss member of concrete art. Concrete art is a style that fosters logical and mathematical thinking in art. Bill considered works of art as instruments for reflection and mental engagement. Max Bill had a rational and scientifically sound approach, not only to art, but also to architecture, and environmental design. He considered art a result of deep logical and mathematical thought processes, rather than as a consequence of a spontaneous gesture of emotional expression. Understanding the concepts beyond individual works of concrete art is an intellectually challenging, but nonetheless, a satisfying experience which contributes to the sharpening of logical thinking. Getting acquainted with Max Bill's work may educate students on more rigorous method of scientific thinking in medicine and may help 'immunize ' them against the current increase in irrational beliefs in medicine, but also in society. The philosophy of critical rationalism, whose main proponent were Karl Popper and Hans Albert, recognized that there can be never an ultimate justification of theories, but rather that knowledge requires a constant search for contradictions. This search for contradictions was termed falsifiability and refutability. This can supplement the concept of concrete art in counteracting the currently seen irrational tendencies in medicine and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]