OVERVIEW

The course aims to introduce to the main problems in contemporary philosophy of medicine and psychiatry, with special emphasis on debates of epistemological interest.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is to provide students with an advanced overview of the main problems faced by the philosophy of medicine in the analytic tradition, with particular reference to contemporary debates. Not only general, metaphysical and epistemological issues will be examined, but also specific problems related to medical practice.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aims of this course are: consolidating the conceptual and terminological apparatus to be able to argue in a clear and rigorous way on advanced topics in the philosophy of medicine and psychiatry, developing personal opinions based on coherent and sound reasoning; analyzing in more depths relevant notions such as evidence, scientific explanation, theoretical change, realism and anti-realism, especially focusing on medicine and psychiatry; learning to critically evaluate the main issues currently addressed by the philosophy of medicine and psychiatry in the analytic tradition.

At the end of the course, the student will be able to: understand, explain, and resume advanced texts in philosophy of medicine and psychiatry, with an appropriate conceptual and terminological apparatus; apply the analytical tools of philosophical reasoning to the discussion of new scientific problems, with regard to the philosophy of medicine and psychiatry; critically evaluate current scientific issues, advancing arguments and counter-arguments; to acquire a greater ability to manage their social interactions with a collaborative attitude, constructive communication and dialogic skills as well as to demonstrate autonomy of work, ability to handle primary literature, argumentative skills and collaborative attidude, coordination and negotiation.

PREREQUISITES

It would be useful having already attended to an undergraduate course in Philosophy of science

TEACHING METHODS

The course will alternate between face-to-face lectures given by the lecturer and in-class presentations given by the attending students. During the course, internationally recognized outside experts may be called upon to give seminars on specific topics. In the first part of the course, lectures will be given face-to-face, during which, however, debate and discussion will always be encouraged. In the second part, there will instead be in-class presentations by students on articles or topics relevant to the course; these papers may also be given in small groups.

Students must register to Aulaweb to obtain relevant teaching material.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course aims to critically discuss some of the main issues raised within contemporary philosophy of medicine and psychiatry. What are disease and mental disorder? What is the relationship between disease, health, and disability? Do diseases and mental disorders truly exist, or are they merely social constructions? What does the strong medical model in psychiatry consist in? How is the experimental method articulated in medicine? Is this a method that can also be applied to psychiatry? Which notion of causality best characterizes medicine? What is the relationship between medical evidence and health and social care policies? What are diagnosis, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment? What role do values play in medicine and psychiatry?

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

1) One volume among the following:

- Stegenga, J. (2020), Cure and care, OUP.
- Broadbent, A. (2019), Philosophy of medicine, OUP.

2) One volume among the following:

- Bolton, D. (2019), The Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Disease, Palgrave (kindle gratuito)
- Goldenberg, M. (2021), Vaccine hesitancy, Univ. of Pittsburgh Press.
- Jefferson, A. (2022), Are mental disorders brain disorders? Routledge.
- Lalumera, E. (2023), Health, well being and quality of life, Palgrave.
- Solomon, M. (2020), Medical knowledge, OUP.
- Stegenga, J., (2023), medical nihilism, OUP.
- Welch, H.G., Schwartzl, L., Woloshin, S., (2011), Overdiagnosis.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARIA CRISTINA AMORETTI (President)

MARCELLO FRIXIONE

DANIELE PORELLO (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

10 February 2026

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral examination will evaluate the capacity to understand, explain, and resume advanced texts in Philosophy of medicine and psychiatry, with an appropriate conceptual and terminological apparatus (10pt over 30); the ability to apply the analytical tools of philosophical reasoning to the discussion of new scientific problems, with regard to the philosophy of medicine and psychiatry (10pt over 30); and the ability to critically evaluate current scientific issues, advancing arguments and counter-arguments (10pt over 30).

Exam schedule