Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Faculty member of Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran
Abstract
One of the philosophical reflections on medicine is philosophy of science approach. Among several branches and schools in philosophy of science, Thomas Kuhn has more impact on medical philosophy. Based on the Kuhnian approach, it is proposed that modern medicine is a paradigm and at the present time it is facing a serious crisis. Two signs of this crisis are popularity of alternative medicine and spark off philosophical debate in medical society. In this article, I try to challenge this claim by asking four fundamental questions. According to the essence of medicine and the role of medicine in modern times, it is proposed that medicine does not fit well with the Kuhnian definition of paradigm. Medicine in its essence is much more a practice and the concept of paradigm is closer to biomedical science than medicine.
Keywords
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