“Myths around a name” by Nikos G. Papadopoulos impresses with its simplicity for “a growing, changing and evolving EEACI,….   assuming new powers, a new name”.  Possibly due to my origin and not “due to my descent”, as well as some education  in classics, I felt disturbed by his approach to “logos”, a central concept, which “governs all things” according to the early Greek thinkers, like Heraclitus. In order to understand logos (originating from the word ëÝãù = I say, I speak), we should look to our language and the order embodied in it, rather than to what is called scientific truth in applied sciences. Logos (logy) does not simply mean “word” but “reason”, “logical order”, ”the immanent ordering principle of the universe”.  Yet, only humans from all natural creatures have logos or reason within them. Logos or reason is represented, at the level of language, by humankind's ordered discourse. Because of this meaning Aristotle’s logos (the appeal based on logic or reason) constitutes one of the three elements of Rhetoric [the other two are: ethos (character) and pathos (emotion)].

In light of the above and in accord with the Aristotelian concept of Logos (persuading by the use of reasoning), I would like to point out why the term Allergy is not an advance in an “evolving gathering of wise” men and women: for the simple reason (which wise leaders know or should know) that the ending “-logy” in any scientific sphere of action denotes the “science that studies the particular field”. [Sociology, the science, which  studies human association, its development, forms and functions; Psychology, the science that studies the mind (psychic disturbances); therefore, Allergology the science that studies Allergy, the disease]. Having being exposed to the American School of thought - all the way from undergraduate / graduate studies /  Medical School to post graduate studies - I recognize the simplicity things are approached with on that side of the Atlantic(which, parenthetically, we appear to adopt eagerly and easily). However, as a European in origin and conscience, I feel strongly attached to the principles and reasoning of the European Enlightenment that mandate the proper use of the highly evolved languages we have inherited.

Therefore, I propose that we keep our historic name unchanged  honoring the enlightened founders of this Academy, who -because of their broad education-chose the proper name for this body of wise men and women in Allergology[1]. Unless, the proposed change in the name of the Academy aims at transforming it into an umbrella, which will shelter those claiming wisdom in Allergology, even though they may have only touched it superficially.

Kalliopi Kontou-Fili M.D., Ph.D.
President of the
The Hellenic Society of Allergology
& Clinical Immunology 
Former EAACI Vice-President

[1] How about “going modern” with the last part of our Academy’s name Clinical Immunity! Does it sound better? A last question using Nico’s opening example: how would you prefer to call the “gathering of wise” European men studying Dragons?  “The European Academy of Dragonology or The European Academy of Dragons” ?