The Philosophy of Medicine :: Epistemology

The Philosophy of MedicinePhilosophy of Medicine? In Arthur Caplans 1992 subject entitled Does The Philosophy of Medicine Exist? he argues that if a school of thought of euphony existed it would be concerned with epistemological or metaphysical questions. Caplan states The culture of the philosophy of medicine is epistemological (71). Caplan adds the goal of the inquiry is to understand what those in medicine think they know and why they think they know it (71). In conversation with Professor Caplan he has recently stated that he so far holds the conclusion of his paper namely, that a philosophy of medicine does not currently exist.1 It will be my general aim to look at the countersign that takes place in some of the analysis of the medical field with a focus on epistemology. Specifically it will be my intention to have it a management in some of the topical literature if the questions raised are rightly epistemological yet or in need of some clarification. I accept Profess or Caplans stipulative definition that states that a field must be well-integrated with other cognate inquiries and disciplines, have an established canon of key books, textbooks, anthologies and articles, and a set of distinctive and defining problems (67). Epistemology meets all of these requirements. In attempts to assist medicine, authors from variant quarters have offered analyses but confused what is and is not rightly epistemology. This mental confusion in turn blurs the distinction between philosophy in medicine and philosophy of medicine.2 The resulting cloudiness may be an obstacle in the way of the development of the philosophy of medicine. I believe the importance of merely recognizing whether we are asking questions about the thinkers or about that which may not be the thinker is a particularly relevant foundation to philosophy of medicine. In line with an element of Professor Caplans definition of the philosophy of medicine (69), I will attempt to explicate the key c oncepts in philosophy in medicine of uncertainty and underdetermination. Epistemology Epistemology is a branch of philosophy that is concerned with theories of knowledge. Its study focuses well-nigh the nature, scope, and basis of knowledge, and the reliability of claims to knowledge. Epistemology must often take up debates everywhere where and how knowledge is obtained, and the role of reason.3 The tools of epistemologists consist of, but are not confine to, truth-bearers, truth-makers, truth-conditions, sentences, propositions, beliefs, criteria, justification, foundations, certainty, determination, coherence, usefulness,and correspondence. All these terms carry different weight and notions within someone epistemological theories, and need not be fully unpacked to serve their solve in this investigation.