33072 - Philosophy of Medicine

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will:

• understand the main theoretical concepts and models through which medicine defines health, disease, and quality of life;

• develop awareness of the conceptual complexity and controversy surrounding these notions;

• acquire tools for critically reflecting on what counts as “evidence” or “explanation” in medicine.

Course contents

1. What is philosophy of medicine and why is it useful to doctors?
   Introduction to the discipline: key questions, how it differs from ethics, sociology, and anthropology, and why it matters for medical training.

2. What is a disease? Theoretical models and controversial cases
   Overview of philosophical definitions of disease and health; discussion of clinical cases that challenge standard models.

3. Well-being and quality of life: between subjectivity and clinical assessment
   What does it mean to be well? Distinctions between well-being, health, and quality of life, and their relevance in clinical, research, and public health contexts.

4. Evidence and explanation in medicine: how do we know what works?
   What counts as “evidence” in medicine, how it is produced, and what criticisms have been raised against the evidence hierarchy.

Readings/Bibliography

To pass the assessment for this module, students are required to study the lecture notes and read the following book chapters:

Lalumera, E. (2023) Stare bene. Un'analisi filosofica. Bologna, il Mulino. Capitoli 2, 3, 4 e 5

Stegenga, J. (2021) Curare e prendersi cura. Introduzione alla Filosofia della Medicina. Arezzo: Aboca. Capitoli 2, 6 e 7.

Recommended, but not mandatory, for those interested in further exploring Topic 4

Lalumera, E. (2021) Medicina e metodo sperimentale. Bologna: Esculapio

 

Teaching methods

Each topic is covered through 2 hours of lecture and 2 to 3 hours of guided reading and discussion of scientific and philosophical articles. The articles to be discussed are made available week by week on the Virtuale platform.

Assessment methods

The final evaluation will consist of a written quiz with 10 multiple-choice questions, each with four options and only one correct answer. No penalty will be applied for incorrect or unanswered questions. A minimum of 7 correct answers out of 10 is required to pass.

In-class formative assessments may be offered during the course, based on discussion and guided reading of assigned articles. These assessments require active participation and collaborative engagement. If successful, they may replace the final quiz, based on a shared decision between the instructor and the students involved.

Teaching tools

Class notes (pdf), articles, and videos are uploaded on Virtuale each week.

Office hours

See the website of Elisabetta Lalumera