David Kupfer explains the aims of the ongoing revision of the Bible for mental disorders, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association. He describes some of the controversies surrounding it and underlines the importance of social factors in the diagnosis since individuals “do not live in splendid isolation”. For further information about the 12th EMBO | EMBL Science & Society conference please visit: www.embo.org Video by: www.stefanietrambow.de Music by: Julianna Redlich