Philosophers in medical centers

Abstract

For four years philosophers have been working in and around two New York medical centers. People often ask about this improbable project, “ Just what is it you are doing?” or, more skeptically, “What have you actually accomplished?” These various essays are our answers. We trust that our reflections will be of interest to clinicians, administrators, and philosophers with similar projects in mind or in motion. More generally, these accounts illuminate the scope of “ applied ethics” and the prospects for professionally trained philosophers outside philosophy departments. We welcome comments and comparison with philosophy projects at other medical centers. Correspondence and requests for additional copies may be addressed to the editor, Department of Philosophy, New York University, New York, New York 10012.