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 couse 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.

PREREQUISITES

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

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures and students' presentations. External scholars could be invited to discuss specific issues.

Students must register to Aulaweb to obtain relevant teaching material.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course aims to critically discuss some of the major questions that are raised within the philosophy of contemporary medicine and psychiatry. What are disease and mental disorder? Do diseases and mental disorders really exist or are they just social constructions? How is the debate between realists and anti-realists in medicine articulated? In what does the experimental method in medicine consist? Is it a method that can also be applied to psychiatry? In what does the strong medical model in psychiatry consist? What is the relationship between medical evidence and social health policies?

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

1) One volume among the following:

- Broadbent, A. (2019), Philosophy of medicine, OUP.
- Stegenga, J. (2018), Care and cure. An introduction to the philosophy of medicine, Un. Chicago Press.

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.
- Gupta, M. (2014),  Is evidence based psychiatry ethical? OUP.
- Solomon, M. (2020), Medical knowledge, OUP.

Other relevant readings in English will be proposed to incoming students.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARIA CRISTINA AMORETTI (President)

MARCELLO FRIXIONE

DANIELE PORELLO (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Febrary 2023

Class schedule

PHILOSOPHY OF MEDICINE

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