Existential Medical Ethics

Book excerpt: When you think of the words medicine and philosophy, your first thought might be that the two words aren’t related. What could they possibly have in common? Once upon a time, however, existential philosophy and medicine were inextricably linked. In the days of ancient Greece, ancient Egypt, and even during the Renaissance, the practice of medicine without some kind of philosophical underpinning simply wouldn’t be considered. But as our thinking moved from the spiritual to the rational, philosophy became a focus for the humanities, while medicine fell into science. That “unlinking” we have today makes visiting the doctor because you aren’t feeling very well a very trying prospect. Richard George Boudreau, a maxillofacial surgeon, bioethicist, attorney at law, forensic expert, has numerous academic credentials, including MA, MBA, DDS, MD, JD, PhD, PsyD degrees, examines the existential philosophical underpinnings that have influenced perceptions of health, wellness, illness, and medicine since the time of the ancient Greeks in this scholarly work. He argues that interpreting and evaluating theoretical foundations and the meanings they hold are essential to defining a workable philosophy of medicine. Find out how bringing philosophy, the mind-body connection, and other ideas into alignment with medicine can benefit patients, doctors, and the entire medical system. “I continue to marvel at Dr. Boudreau’s brilliance, energy and productivity.” Barry I. Ludwig, MD UCLA Clinical Professor of Neurology