Research to provide a philosophical foundation for the new development of narrative theories in medicine

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H02261
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Philosophy/Ethics
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Miyasaka Michio 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (30282619)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 対話 / 物語 / ナラティヴ / ケア / 倫理

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to systematically construct theories that provide a philosophical foundation for the new development of narrative theory in medicine, and three hypotheses were obtained as outcomes. (1) Evidence-based medicine is a naturalism, while narrative practice is a constructionism. Both aim to solve the health problems of individual patients, but the former is based on the ethical principle of fairness and the latter on that of equity, with code of conduct providing standardized care and providing individualized care respectively. (2) The areas of interest in health care include physical functioning, life functioning, and life (or life history) integrity, and the priority given to these areas determines care provision is based on whether realism or constructionism. (3) Narrative practices can be categorized as interpretation, mediation, and intervention.

Free Research Field

医療倫理学、ケア論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果により、病者のケア実践として行われている「対話」を、専門的実践と非専門的実践との違いに関わらずに、目的、依って立つ哲学的基盤によって定義し直す可能性が拓かれ、人が人をケアすることの本質を、従来以上に明確に考える視座が得られた。研究成果をまとめた単行書『対話と承認のケア:ナラティヴが生み出す世界』(全277頁、2020年2月刊行)を刊行し、数件のシンポジウムを行った。