Healing and morality: a Javanese example.
Social science & medicine (1982) 1985 DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(85)90422-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 29 |
| Key points | Argues that the structural uniformity of Javanese cultural domains derives from the hierarchical organization of cultural knowledge, and that traditional medicine and medical pluralism cannot be studied apart from world view. |
Abstract
Javanese traditional medicine is based on Sufi Muslim notions of personhood, knowledge and magical power. This world view motivates two conflicting modalities of medical practice: one based on the magic powers of curers (dukun), the others on the religiously validated powers of Sufi saints. The association of magical and bio-medical knowledge allows Javanese to interpret traditional and bio-medical cures as components of a unified health care system. Comparison of Javanese medical, religious and political systems suggests that the structural uniformity of cultural domains derives from the hierarchical organization of cultural knowledge and that the study of traditional medicine and medical pluralism can not be undertaken apart from that of world view.