A Look at Medical Philosophy

Document Type : سخن سر دبیر

Authors

1 Department of Philosophy, Meymeh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Meymeh, Iran

2 PhD Student, Department of Geography and Rural Planning, School of Geographical Sciences and Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

A common idea about the description of medical philosophy has not yet been developed. It seems that in the interaction between philosophy and medicine, the second totally focuses on important human-related factors such as life, death, suffering, and illness. On the other hand, conflicts in methodology, epistemology, and observational, experimental, and laboratory approaches need deeper analysis and philosophical thinking. In this study, we tried to present an appropriate description for medical philosophy and evaluate the approaches and the scope of this field.

  1. Engelhardt HT, Erde EL. Philosophy of medicine. In: Durbin PT, editor. A Guide to the culture of science, technology, and medicine.New York: Free Press; 1984.
  2. Fleck L. The founder of the philosophy of modern medicine. The Cancer Journal 1992; 5(6): 304-5.
  3. Pellegrino ED. What the philosophy of medicine is. Theor Med Bioeth 1998; 19(4): 315-36.
  4. Caplan AL. Does the philosophy of medicine exist? Theor Med 1992; 13(1): 67-77.
  5. Engelhardt HT, Schaffner KF, Erde EL. Philosophy of Medicine. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. New York: Routledge; 1998.