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Introduction to Contemporary Philosophy of Medicine

  • 1st book:metaData.edition - November 28, 2025
  • book:metaData.latestEdition
  • common:contributors.author James A. Marcum
  • publicationLanguages:language

Introduction to Contemporary Philosophy of Medicine explores philosophical approaches to the nature of medicine, ranging from the Analytic Philosophy of Medicine to Feminist and Ge… seeMoreDescription

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Introduction to Contemporary Philosophy of Medicine explores philosophical approaches to the nature of medicine, ranging from the Analytic Philosophy of Medicine to Feminist and Gender Medicine. Digital, Complementary, and Alternative Medicines are also discussed, with each diverse approach informed by different ontological and epistemological concepts, such as causation, disease, and health, which are introduced and discussed in detail. This is a key guide for students and other healthcare professionals interested in philosophical issues in contemporary medicine.

Contemporary philosophy of medicine is certainly a growing discipline in the 21st century, with substantial literature. But the discipline has no overarching paradigm that reflects consensus. Rather, contemporary philosophy of medicine is diverse, with various approaches not only to the problems facing contemporary medicine, but also how best to address and potentially resolve them. This book explores these concepts and their diverse approaches.

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  • Introduces and analyzes the ontological and epistemological conceptual foundations of contemporary philosophy of medicine
  • Critically reviews different philosophical approaches to contemporary medicine, from analytical to phenomenological approaches
  • Evaluates a variety of medical practices, ranging from evidence-based medicine to person-centred medicine
  • Provides an in-depth handbook and guide to the current literature in contemporary philosophy of medicine
  • Explores the future direction of philosophy of medicine

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Philosophy of Medicine students and instructors, researchers and scholars in the biomedical and philosophy fields

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Part I. Philosophical Concepts of Medicine

1. Medical Ontology

2. Medical Epistemology

Part II. Contemporary Philosophy of Medicine

3. Scientific Medicine

4. Digital Medicine

5. Humanistic Medicine

6. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Epilogue Appendices General Overviews Edited Volumes Springer’s Philosophy and Medicine Series Professional Journals Encyclopedia, Online Databases, and Organizations Bibliography Index

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  • productDetails.edition: 1
  • book:metaData.latestEdition
  • productDetails.published: December 1, 2025
  • publicationLanguages:languageTitle: publicationLanguages:en

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JM

James A. Marcum

James A. Marcum is professor of philosophy and past director of the Medical Humanities Program at Baylor University. He earned doctorates in philosophy from Boston College and in physiology from the University of Cincinnati Medical College. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School for over a decade before arriving at Baylor University’s Philosophy department. He has received grants from several funding agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the American Heart Association. He delivers invited lectures frequently at both national and international conferences. His current research interests include the philosophy and history of medicine and science.

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Professor of philosophy and past Director, Medical Humanities Program, Baylor University, USA

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