Reflections on humanizing biomedicine

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine
James A Marcum

Abstract

Although biomedicine is responsible for the "miracles" of modern medicine, paradoxically it has also led to a quality-of-care crisis in which many patients feel disenfranchised from the health-care industry. To address this crisis, several medical commentators make an appeal for humanizing biomedicine, which has led to shifts in the philosophical boundaries of medical knowledge and practice. In this paper, the metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical boundaries of biomedicine and its humanized versions are investigated and compared to one another. Biomedicine is founded on a metaphysical position of mechanistic monism, an epistemology of objective knowing, and an ethic of emotionally detached concern. In humanizing modern medicine, these boundaries are often shifted to a metaphysical position of dualism/holism, an epistemology of subject knowing, and an ethic of empathic care. In a concluding section, the question is discussed whether these shifts in the philosophical boundaries are adequate to resolve the quality-of-care crisis.

Citations

Nov 20, 2014·Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice·Benjamin H Chin-Yee
Oct 15, 2014·Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice·Henrik VogtLinn Getz
Oct 28, 2014·Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice·Michael Cournoyea, Ashley Graham Kennedy
Jan 29, 2016·Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy·Henrik VogtLinn Getz
May 23, 2013·Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice·Donald S Borrett
Nov 11, 2010·Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice·Suzana Alves SilvaPeter C Wyer
Jun 17, 2009·Social Science & Medicine·Susan McPherson, David Armstrong
Sep 18, 2016·Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics·Henrik VogtLinn Getz
Jan 11, 2017·Physiotherapy Theory and Practice·David Martínez-PerníaDavid Huepe
Mar 5, 2011·Nursing Ethics·Elin Martinsen
Mar 29, 2018·Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice·Andrew Miles
Apr 7, 2018·European Journal of Ophthalmology·Rodrigo Abreu-GonzalezManuel Gonzalez De La Rosa
Nov 18, 2017·The British Journal of Ophthalmology·Hanna E A SakkiRichard Bowman
Nov 30, 2018·Medical Humanities·Michelle PentecostThomas Cousins
Feb 13, 2018·Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics·Juliette Ferry-Danini
Aug 20, 2010·Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics·Leen De VreeseJeroen Van Bouwel
Oct 29, 2020·The Journal of Medical Humanities·Bradley Lewis
Dec 14, 2019·Explore : the Journal of Science and Healing·Jeff Levin

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.