Philosophy of Science

The Emergence of the Philosophy of Medicine: A Critical Encounter with Classical Philosophy of Science

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Alireza Monajemi

Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies

10.30465/ps.2026.54069.1819
Abstract
The central claim of this article is that the philosophy of medicine emerged through a critical confrontation with classical philosophy of science, a confrontation that coincided with the very possibility of articulating the contemporary medical crisis. This simultaneity is not accidental; rather, it discloses the inability of classical philosophy of science to grasp the practical, clinical, and social character of medicine. The rise of the philosophy of medicine is thus presented as internally connected both to the limits of classical philosophy of science and to the formulation of the modern medical crisis. The paper first reconstructs the conceptual framework of classical philosophy of science and identifies its shortcomings in accounting for the nature of medicine. It then examines the idea of medical crisis, arguing that excessive scientification and technologization have dehumanized the clinical encounter and prompted critical reflection. The Kaplan–Pellegrino debate is analyzed as a key historical moment. Drawing on Wieland, Fleck, and Sadeghzadeh, the article develops a positive account of medicine as a distinct kind of knowledge and considers its implications. The implications of this shift include a critique of contemporary medicine and a rethinking of the relationship between science, practice, and the modern human sciences.

Keywords

classical philosophy of science
philosophy of medicine
medical crisis
classification of the sciences
practice
Subjects

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