title: Antifoundationalism and the possibility of a moral philosophy of medicine.
abstract: The problem of developing a moral philosophy of medicine is explored in this essay. Among the challenges posed to this development are the general mistrust of moral philosophy and philosophy in general created by post-modernist philosophical and even anti-philosophical thinking. This reaction to philosophical systematization is usually called antifoundationalism. I distinguish different forms of antifoundationalism, showing that not all forms of their opposites, foundationalism, are alike, especially with regards to claims made about the certitude of moral thought. I conclude that we are correct to mistrust absolutist principles in a moral philosophy of medicine, but can find some center within the practice of medicine itself for a moral foundation.
authors.affiliation: Medical Humanities Program, Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Thomasma
mesh_terms: D018864:Cultural Diversity; D028663:Ethical Theory; D026822:Ethicists; D026690:Ethics, Clinical; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D049673:History, 20th Century; D009014:Morals; D010686:Philosophy, Medical / Q000266:history; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000592:standards*; D012922:Social Change; D012945:Social Values; D014481:United States