The value of a philosophical perspective in teaching the basic medical sciences

Abstract

A major challenge for medical education is the cultivation of practitioners capable of embracing both the physico-chemical and transcendent dimensions of human life. A widely accepted approach to this dilemma has been the introduction of the humanities, and more specifically philosophy, into the medical curriculum. The integration of philosophical thinking into the educational process is, however, hampered by its apparent incompatibility with the scientific/reductionist mindset preeminent in modern medicine. A method of presenting relevant philosophic themes within the context of the basic medical sciences is proposed. It involves the identification and development of philosophic content inherent within the scientific subjects that we teach.

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James R. Brawer

Dr Brawer graduated from Harvard University with a PhD in Neuroscience. He is currently a Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology and a core member of the Centre for Medical Education at McGill University, Quebec, Canada.