Select Page

Colloquium ‘Medical history meets…. Medical philosophy’ – Friday 18 september 2020

Medical history meets…. Medical philosophy
Colloquium organized by the working group ‘History, Health and Healing’
Time: Friday 18 September 2020, 13.00-16.00 pm
Location: online (technical support of the Huizinga Institute)

Many disciplines reflect on the theory and practice of medicine and health care. Medical history is doing so historically: medical historians are curious to know how attitudes towards health, illness and healing changed over time, and what remained the same. Historians are prone to borrow from neighbouring disciplines and ready to be inspired by theories, methods and perspectives from other fields. The working group ‘History, Health and Healing’ decided to devote its autumn colloquia to reach out and be inspired by other disciplines. This year, we have chosen medical philosophy. What do both disciplines have in common, how are they different? What can medical historians learn from medical philosophers, and vice versa? Within both disciplines, there are many traditions and approaches. To bring focus to the colloquium we therefore decided to organize it around the acclaimed and debated book Medical Nihilism by Jacob Stegenga (Cambridge University). In his book Stegenga first analyzes the flaws in current biomedical research, and then proceeds to give recommendations to remedy them. To what extent does his analysis hold? How realistic are his suggestions for improvement? The colloquium starts with a lecture by Dr Stegenga, after which there will be a forum discussion. Two medical historians and two medical philosophers will exchange views with our keynote speaker, with each other, and with the audience.

Participation is free, but you are kindly requested to register with the secretary of the working group, Timo Bolt: t.bolt@erasmusmc.nl.

9.00 – 12.00    Masterclass led by Dr Jacob Stegenga: ‘The Sciences of Sexual Desire’

(closed meeting of the Huizinga Institute for MA- and PhD-students)

12.00 – 13.00  Break

13.00 – 14.00  Keynote lecture by Dr Stegenga on his book Medical Nihilism (Oxford UP, 2018)

14.00 – 14.30  Break

14.30-15.30    Forum discussion: two medical historians (Dr Timo Bolt and Dr Rina Knoeff) and

two medical philosophers (Prof. Jenny Slatman and Prof. Maartje Schermer) will

discuss the lecture, the book and anything that seems topical or appropriate with

Dr Jacob Stegenga, each other and the audience.