The Bloomsbury Companion to Contemporary Philosophy of Medicine - (Bloomsbury Companions) by James A Marcum (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A definitive and authoritative guide to a vibrant and growing discipline in current philosophy, The Bloomsbury Companion to Contemporary Philosophy of Medicine presents an overview of the issues facing contemporary philosophy of medicine, the research methods required to understand them and a trajectory for the discipline's future.

Written by world leaders in the discipline, this companion addresses the ontological, epistemic, and methodological challenges facing philosophers of medicine today, from the debate between evidence-based and person-centered medicine, medical humanism, and gender medicine, to traditional issues such as disease, health, and clinical reasoning and decision-making. Practical and forward-looking, it also includes a detailed guide to research sources, a glossary of key terms, and an annotated bibliography, as well as an introductory survey of research methods and discussion of new research directions emerging in response to the rapid changes in modern medicine.

"Philosophy needs medicine', Hillel Braude argues, 'to become more relevant'. By showing how modern medicine provides philosophers with a rich source of material for investigating issues facing contemporary society, The Bloomsbury Companion to Contemporary Philosophy of Medicine introduces the opportunities medicine offers philosophers together with the resources and skills required to contribute to contemporary debates and discussions.

Review Quotes

Few studies of the philosophy of medicine are as comprehensive and accessible as this volume ... This is a required resource for anyone interested in the philosophy of medicine, be they knowledgeable about the field or coming to it for the first time. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers.
CHOICE

Readers and users of this companion - most likely to be medical students interested in ethics and philosophy, philosophy students interested in medicine and healthcare, tutors and lecturers in the field, members of ethics
committees and anyone interested in the values and aims underpinning primary and secondary healthcare - will find a wealth of bibliographical material, much of it usefully current and available.
Reference Reviews

This collection of themes, at the cutting edge, on pluralisms in medical theory and practice is a welcomed and useful addition to the growing literature on contemporary philosophy of medicine.

About the Author

James A. Marcum is Professor of Philosophy and Director of Medical Humanities Program at Baylor University, USA. He earned doctorates in philosophy from Boston College and in physiology from the University of Cincinnati Medical College. He was on faculty at Harvard Medical School before going to Baylor.