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Call me doctor? Confessions of a hospital philosopher

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Abstract

Accustomed as many of us have become in the era of clinical bioethics to the idea of a “hospital philosopher”, on reflection the historical novelty of the role is astonishing, as are its ambiguities. As a result of considering my own experience I found myself writing this miniature intellectual autobiography. In the course of this essay I raise two specific questions: what can the Western philosophical tradition contribute to the clinical setting; and (a question that is rarely asked), what are the implications of this experience for that tradition?

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Moreno, J.D. Call me doctor? Confessions of a hospital philosopher. J Med Hum 12, 183–196 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01138953

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