Knowledge base

This book examines currently unquestioned methods in medicine, such as 'evidence-based medicine', from the perspective of humanism and the philosophy of medicine. The book discusses issues related to medical treatment and moral attitudes and identifies the strongest arguments. These arguments ...

The achievements of pioneering doctors such as John Peter Mettauer, James Marion Sims and Nathan Bozeman are well documented. It is also no secret that these 19th century gynaecologists performed experimental caesarean sections and obstetric fistula repairs,...

This multidisciplinary collection explores the three key concepts underlying psychiatry - explanation, phenomenology and nosology - and their continuing relevance in the age of neuroimaging and genetic analysis. Kenneth S. Kendler's introduction introduces the philosophical ...

Currently, ageing is often seen as a problem to be solved and death as a harsh reality to be masked. In part, the cultural confusion is rooted in an inadequate conception of the human person, which is based on the idea of absolute...

In underserved areas of Canada, communities themselves can be one of the strongest parts of the health care team. Dr. Gretchen Roedde shows the important role communities play in responding to illness, birth and death, making them...

Philosophy has much to offer psychiatry, not only in ethical issues, but also in questions of mind, identity, values and will. This has become more important as we have witnessed the growth and power of the pharmaceutical industry, to which...

Each year in the United States, 12 per cent of all births are premature, 5 per cent of all babies need breathing assistance at birth and 3 per cent of newborns are born with at least one major malformation. Many of these babies are...

This is a comprehensive collection of original essays by leading thinkers exploring the newly emerging interdisciplinary field of philosophy of psychiatry. The authors aim to define this exciting field and highlight the philosophical assumptions and problems underlying...

This is the first book to analyse and systematise all the general ideas of medicine, especially the philosophical ones, which are usually overlooked. Instead of focusing on one or two points - usually disease and clinical research - this book analyses...

What is medical knowledge? Can medicine be explained scientifically? Is disease a scientific concept or do explanations of disease depend on values? What is 'evidence-based' medicine? Are advances in neuroscience bringing us closer to a scientific understanding of...

The philosophy of medicine poses two fundamental questions about medicine: what is it and what should we think about it? The philosophy of medicine has itself developed in response to developments in the philosophy of science, particularly in relation to epistemology, enabling it to bring...

The philosophy of medicine has become a vibrant and complex intellectual landscape, and Care and Cure is the first extended attempt to map it. In pursuing the interdependent goals of care and cure, medicine draws on concepts, theories, conclusions and policies,...

Research into the determinants of non-adherence to medical advice has emphasised understanding the role of the doctor-patient relationship in adherence decisions. However, there is a lack of evidence on people's overall perceptions of doctors and their influence on their ...

The rapid pace of medical progress is undermining the traditional doctor-patient relationship. The aim of this article was to (a) Examine the determinants of basic dimensions such as congruence, trust, and possibility of the doctor-patient relationship; (b) Explore possible links between these...

Despite the demonstrated efficacy of antipsychotic medication, relapse rates among patients with schizophrenia remain high. In this article, we review the various factors influencing adherence and discuss opportunities to improve adherence ...