Language and thinking: analysis of breathing-related phraseology.
In the contemporary bioethics, patient's autonomy is often recognized as the most important issue. This autonomy is interpreted as the right to self-determination regarding all medical-related decisions. An essential condition of autonomous decisions is the adequate knowledge of the issues involved. The "informed consent" has become a gold standard of bioethics. All this leads to focusing on the problems related to communication, and, in consequence, on the language as a fundamental tool of communication. The aim of the article was to reveal the meaning of "breath(e)/breathing" and in that way to contribute to a better communication between doctors and patients. An analysis was performed using a method of non-analytical philosophy of language. English, Italian, and Polish were chosen as subjects of this study. The results clearly show the multiplicity and variety of meanings that assume breathing-related linguistic expressions. All of them are classified in four main groups. In conclusion, the author submits that an improvement in the understanding of different meanings of words used in the doctor-patient relationship can contribute to maintaining ethical standards in medical practice.
Niebrój
L T
LT
Department of Philosophy and Ethics, Silesian Medical University, Katowice, Poland. zakfilet@slam.katowice.pl
D032882:Comprehension; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics; D007802:Language; D008037:Linguistics; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010684:Philosophy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics; D012119:Respiration; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D013850:Thinking