Philosophy of medicine

What is the course about?

We have all had contact with medicine in one way or another: through being ill ourselves, or through taking care of somebody else who is ill. Medicine is not only about the science and evidence for medical practices. It is also political, social, cultural and personal. This course is about the kind of knowledge and value system that makes up medicine in its current form, and explores how it has evolved, what its main features are, what its strong and weak points are, and, potentially, how it is changing.

The course tutor, Dr Annamaria Carusi, is an interdisciplinary research and lecturer, who works to build bridges between the sciences (broadly) and humanities (broadly). She has lectured in many different contexts, in South Africa, in the UK and in Denmark,  in distance and in person higher education, undergraduate, graduate and lifelong learning. Her most recent position was as Reader in Medical Humanities at the University of Sheffield. For the last five years, she has worked as a consultant specialising in research culture and in science/policy interactions, mainly in life science settings. She is a passionate analyst of the biomedical model and of its alternatives.

What will we cover?

Philosophy of medicine is the main lens that we use to examine the complex inter-relationships between knowledge and values in medicine, assisted by historical and social elements to ground our discussion in actual cases. The topics include the relationship between science and medical practice that is the hallmark of the current biomedical model; conceptions of disease, illness and health; the widening reach of medicalisation and implications for the understanding of the ‘patient’. Our discussions culminate in the key topic of the relationship between healthcare practitioners and healthcare receivers, exploring different understandings of that relationship, and what each brings to it, in terms of knowledge and values.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

By the end of the course, students will be able to discuss and evaluate key topics in the philosophical, historical and social contexts of medicine and its practice. This will include the following abilities:
1. To understand different ideas about and conceptions of medicine, disease and health.
2. To compare different positions on the core issues affecting medicine and its practice
3. To critically assess key arguments regarding medicine and its practice
4. To participate in current debates in biomedicine.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is suitable for those who have followed an introductory philosophy course, but those new to philosophy will also be welcome. You need to be willing to take a critical distance from the topics that we discuss, and consider different viewpoints that you may not agree with. The course will include reading and commenting upon extracts from readings from different types of texts (philosophy, history, social science) using the philosophical concepts that we discuss in class.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Tutor presentations and seminar discussions; group tasks. Reading will be suggested for each session.

Below is some suggested, though not compulsory, pre-reading:

Bynum,William (2008) The History of Medicine: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.

Le Fanu, J. (2000) The rise and fall of modern medicine. London: Abacus

Porter, Roy (2002) Blood and Guts, a short history of medicine. London: Penguin.

And for those who prefer listening, an excellent BBC series on the History of Medicine is to be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00k9b7r/episodes/player.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

No other costs. You may wish to bring notetaking materials.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Check City Lit's website for up-to-date information about forthcoming philosophy courses.