Every science begins as philosophy and ends as art; it arises in hypothesis and flows into
achievement … the philosopher is not content to describe the fact: he wishes to ascertain its relation to experience in general, and thereby get at its meaning and its worth … To observe a process and to construct means is science, to criticize and coordinate ends is philosophy.
Will Durant - The Story of Philosophy (1961).

Philosophy is defined as the love of wisdom. To completely understand this definition, consider the functions of knowledge and wisdom.

                    Knowledge is the comprehension of facts.
                    Wisdom is the evaluation and integration of facts.

Philosophy will include aspects of knowledge and wisdom. Both knowledge and wisdom are essential to all health professionals.

1. Study of processes governing thought and conduct; theory or investigation of the principles or laws that regulate the universe and underlie all knowledge and reality. Examples would be religious and societal philosophies.
2. General principles or laws of a field of knowledge. An example would be the basis of a Ph.D. degree.
3. A particular system of principles for the conduct of life; a study of human morals, character, and behavior. This is the basis of medical philosophies and the framework of all health services. It reinforces the caring aspect of health care and defines appropriate behaviors for health professionals.

A personal philosophy is a framework of ones own values, a hierarchy of importance ranging in a continuum from negative to neutral to positive. Some examples of positive values are justice, charity, prudence, humility, and honesty. A person's philosophy and character mirror each other. Character deals with philosophy in that philosophy expresses character. Character is the expression while philosophy is the value system determining what is to be expressed. Character traits can be either positive or negative.  Examples of positive character traits are loyalty, tolerance, courtesy, and resourcefulness. Negative character traits usually stem from a lack of concern for others. Examples are carelessness, rudeness, selfishness, and jealousy. For more information on developing a
personal mission statement, see Stephen R. Covey's section in "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."

Where do values come from? They are the personal guidelines from which judgments are made and action is taken. We act on our beliefs, what we believe is worthwhile and valuable.

Values serve as standards in:
1. Taking particular positions on social issues (abortion, euthanasia, universal health coverage, etc)
2. Favoring one particular ideology over another (political, religious, etc)
3. Presenting ourselves to others (kind, considerate, polite or angry, rude, discourteous)
4. Persuading and influencing others

Raths, Harmin, and Simon (1966) outlined criteria needed to establish a value as one's own. The process is known as values clarification and the seven steps are outlined below:
1. A value must be chosen freely.
2. A value must be chosen from alternatives.
3. A value must be chosen aftern considering the consequences.
4. A value must be prized and cherished.
5. A value must be publicly affirmed, when appropriate.
6. A value must be acted upon.
7. A value must be acted upon consistently.

1. Intelligent, well-informed, and competent
2. Able to communicate skillfully
3. Compassionate, tolerant, courteous, and respectful
4. Knows own worth & appreciates that of others
5. Can receive advice, share praise, and give compliments
6. Accepts criticism or blame when due

1. VISION - visualizes important attainble goals for self, and for those they serve. This is the basis for planning a productive future.

2. PERSPECTIVE - relates self to environment. Professionals can realize how they fit into the total scheme of life by giving them a point of reference and sense of direction.

3. MOTIVATION - actuates self and others to take the necessary logical steps toward achieving established goals. It gives the initiative needed to undertake the tasks that lie ahead.

4. DEDICATION - with planning, devotes self to professional duties and responsibilities. Gives the professional the persistence needed to complete tasks.

5. STABILITY - with calm and patient effort, persistently, conscientiously, at times courageously, applies talents as fully as possible. Professionals promote good human relationships an try not to succumb to negative emotions. Emotional stability gives quiet dignity which commands respect, fosters close rapport, and makes people attentive to words and actions.

The philosophy statement of a health care profession expresses the beliefs of its members regarding:

1. Health - what it is and what it is not
2. Definition of health services covered
3. How members function in providing care
4. Responsibilities the profession assumes in planning, delivering, and evaluating its functions in providing health care - based on realization that interdisciplinary cooperation is integral part of all functions

Philosophy statements also prescribe that members continually maintain the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to provide quality health care. The statement recognizes health care is characterized by continuous growth and demands flexibility of members to meet goals.

Most professional codes of ethics in health care are based on oaths of ancient physicians. The oldest is the Hindu oath (1500 BC) and the most familiar is attributed to Hippocrates. The Hippocratic Oath has been updated throughout the years. The Oath of Aspah and Joachanan is the first known formal pledge of medical ethics among the Jews. In 1847, the American Medical Association (AMA) was founded and adopted a code of ethics published in 1803 by Thomas Percival, an English physician. Eight principles of the AMA code are used as model for establishing code of ethics for other health professions.

Return to Syllabus

References:

French, Ruth M. (1979). Dynamics of Health Care. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Covey, Stephen R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective people. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.