Epistemology of Minimum Dose: A Critical Hermeneutic Analysis of Organon’s Posology Discourse

Abstract

Posology—the art and science of dosage—sits at the heart of homeopathic controversy. This review deconstructs Organon aphorisms 275–287 through Gadamerian hermeneutics, triangulating textual exegesis with contemporary nano-pharmacology and hormetic toxicology studies. A curated database of 92 dose-response experiments demonstrating non-linear biphasic effects was meta-analysed to evaluate congruence with Hahnemann’s assertions about infinitesimals. By threading historical debates—spanning Avogadro’s constant, succussion dynamics, and clathrate water structures—into a modern evidentiary fabric, we reveal that discussions of “dynamic potentisation” anticipate stochastic resonance concepts now common in signal processing and neurophysiology. Yet the epistemological status of these parallels remains contested: critics invoke Popperian falsifiability, while defenders cite Lakatosian protective belts. To navigate this impasse, we propose a multicriteria evidential matrix¬—combining mechanistic plausibility, clinical outcomes, and model validity—that transcends simplistic binary verdicts of “works/doesn’t work.” Our analysis concludes that minimum dose discourse functions less as an empirical claim and more as an invitation to rethink causal complexity at micro- and macro-scales.

KEYWORDS: Posology; minimum dose; hormesis; nano-pharmacology; hermeneutics; stochastic resonance; epistemology