THE PROBLEM OF VALUES IN PSYCHIATRY: A CONTRIBUTION OF PHILOSOPHY TO MEDICAL EDUCATION

Abstract

Even though medical ethics has recently become a rather prominent area in healthcare, there are still institutions in some European countries where mentally ill patients are treated inhumanely. In order to help abolish such institutions, it is fundamental to further emphasize human ethics and ensure that it is duly taken into account – where necessary – medical education. A deep philosophical analysis of how we can improve medical education through appropriate modern approaches has been done. Prior research has shown that implementing what we call a holistic model grounded on interdisciplinarity into higher education significantly improves and deepens the level of knowledge. Basing on the importance of educational constructivism and the integration of history and philosophy of science in science education, there is a potential to improve medical education. The research aims to present a philosophical and historical reflection on psychiatry and to provide the guidelines to improve medical education. In particular, it is discussed the problem of value-ladenness in psychiatry from two different perspectives. The first, developed by the contemporary philosopher Rachel Cooper, points out how this commitment to values not only generates questions regarding the definition and the characterization of mental disorders, but also influences the epistemology of psychiatry in empirical research and methods. The second regards the more continental-influenced philosophical thought of the Italian psychiatrist Franco Basaglia, who succeeded in changing the educational and therapeutic practices in the relationship between health workers and patient. The concept of “meeting” is fundamental to translate Basaglia’s suggestions in new guidelines for contemporary medical education. Keywords: medical education, medical ethics, philosophy of science, science education, value-ladenness in psychiatry