Dualism and Its Discontents II: Philosophical Tinctures
Oxford Medicine Online November 1, 2016 Craig Irvine, Danielle Spencer
Philosophical responses to Cartesian dualism, especially Maurice Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, offer valuable insights for medicine. Phenomenology's focus on lived experience and embodiment helps address dissociation and alienation felt by both clinicians and patients. The work of philosophers, clinicians, ethicists, and patients including Havi Carel, S. Kay Toombs, Richard Baron, Edmund Pellegrino, Richard Zaner, and Fredrik Svenaeus demonstrates phenomenology's influence in healthcare. Counter-examples show the complexity of philosophical inquiry. The chapter closes with David Ferry's poem "Soul" to approach the relationship between body, mind, and spirit. The authors argue that philosophical understanding, particularly combined with literature, provides insight into healthcare's challenges and possibilities.