The Philosophy and Practice of Medicine and Bioethics: A Naturalistic-Humanistic Approach

Description

This book explores currently unchallenged methods in medicine, such as “evidence-based medicine”, from the perspectives of humanism and philosophy of medicine. The book discusses issues of medical treatment and moral approaches and indicates the strongest arguments. These arguments are subsequently subjected to critical analysis. The book includes new ways of thinking and explains, uses and exemplifies the “metaphorical method”. The book argues that decision-making in medicine is inadequate unless grounded on a philosophy of medicine. As part of its argumentation, the book explores the insights offered by practical and humanistic philosophy and by creative and critical thinkers who are working on topics relevant to medicine. From this, a new and necessary definition of philosophy of life emerges: a good lifestyle no longer simply means getting physical exercise and abstaining from cigarettes and alcohol; it also means living a holistic life including all of one’s thinking, personality and actions. Front Matter....Pages i-xxiii Metaphor in Medicine: The Metaphorical Method....Pages 1-14 Definition....Pages 15-22 Decision-Making: Fallacies and Other Mistakes....Pages 23-44 Analysis of Causation in Medicine....Pages 45-64 Ethics and Non-ethics....Pages 65-110 Medicotheology and Biotheology....Pages 111-135 Emotion In Medicine....Pages 137-159 Enlightened Versus Normative Management: Ethics versus Morals....Pages 161-200 Care: A Critique of the Ethics and Emotion of Care....Pages 201-226 Egoism and Altruism in Medicine....Pages 227-243 Letting Die....Pages 245-279 A Critique of Autonomy and Patient Responsibility....Pages 281-298 Philosophy and Ethics of the Body....Pages 299-315 Organ Donation: Mandatory Organ Donation Declaration....Pages 317-333 Embryonic Stem Cell Research: A Question of Beliefs?....Pages 335-354 The Philosophy of Prevention....Pages 355-382 Ethics Counseling: Philosophy of Medicine Counseling Instead of Medical Ethics Counseling....Pages 383-426 Medical Language: The Ordinary Language Approach....Pages 427-451 A Critique of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM): Evidence-Based Medicine and Philosophy-Based Medicine....Pages 453-486 Lying in Medicine....Pages 487-495 The Rhetoric of Death and Dying....Pages 497-535 Back Matter....Pages 537-543