Philosophy, Science, and Nursing : Nursing Class Essays

Chapter 1
Philosophy, Science, and Nursing

Topics for Discussion

Is nursing a profession or an occupation?

Is nursing a science? If yes, what type of science?

- What is nursing’s theoretical base?

What are different kinds of knowledge?

Nursing as a Profession

Characteristics of occupations
Varying levels of training or education
Variable defined knowledge bases
Varying levels of skill

Nursing as a Profession—(cont.)

- Examples of professions
- Medicine
- Law
- Clergy
- Education

Question

Tell whether the following statement is true or false:

Nursing is a profession.

Answer

True

Rationale: Nursing is a profession. Nursing meets the characteristics of a profession, and nurses are valued by society because the services they provide are beneficial to members of the society.

Nursing as a Profession—(cont.)

All professions are occupations, but not all occupations are professions.

Nursing as a Profession—(cont.)

What is our knowledge base?
Authority over education?
Registration?
Altruistic service?
Code of ethics?
Formal training?
Socialization process?
Autonomy?

Nursing as an Academic Discipline

Discipline—a field of inquiry
Unique perspective and terminology
Determination of what phenomena are of interest
Determination of the context in which phenomena are viewed
Determination of what questions to ask
Determination of what methods of research are used and what evidence is proof

Nursing as an Academic Discipline—(cont.)

A unique perspective
An identifiable philosophy
Conceptual frameworks/theories
Acceptable methodologic approaches for development of knowledge

Academic Disciplines

Basic sciences
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Sociology

Humanities
Philosophy
History
Fine arts
Languages

Academic Disciplines—(cont.)

Professional disciplines
Medicine
Law
Dentistry
Engineering
Nursing

Science

Science is concerned with causality (cause and effect).
Science is both a process and a product.
A body of empirically tested knowledge
A system of gathering and verifying information (process)
Science represents knowledge and is generated by the application of methods to acquire that knowledge.

Science—(cont.)

A discipline’s science:
Focuses on solving problems related to the discipline
Directs answering questions of the discipline
The science contains the research aspect of the discipline.
A discipline’s science is tied to its philosophy.

Classification of Sciences

Natural sciences
Chemistry, physics, biology, geology
Basic or pure sciences
Mathematics, chemistry, physics, language
Human or social sciences
Psychology, anthropology, economics
Practice or applied sciences
Engineering, medicine, pharmacology, law

Classification of Sciences—(cont.)

Nursing draws on basic/pure sciences (physiology, biology).
Nursing has characteristics of social sciences.
Nursing is without question an applied science.

Philosophy

Philosophy is the “study of . . . the nature of existence, knowledge, morality, reason and human purpose.”
Philosophy seeks to:
Discover knowledge and truth
Identify what is valuable

Philosophy—(cont.)

Philosophy is concerned with:
Purpose of human life
Nature of being and reality
Source(s) of knowledge

Question

Which of the following do science and philosophy have in common?

A. Hypothesis testing

B. Nature of being

C. Goal of increasing knowledge

D. Verifiability of information

Answer

C. Goal of increasing knowledge

Rationale: Science and philosophy share the common goal of increasing knowledge. Science is tied to the philosophy of the discipline, with a shared goal to increase the knowledge of the discipline.

Branches of Philosophy

- Metaphysics—study of nature of reality and existence
- Ontology—study of the theory of being
- Cosmology—study of the physical universe
- Epistemology—study of knowledge (ways of knowing)
- Logic—study of principles and methods of reasoning (inference and argument)
- Ethics (axiology)—study of values (right and wrong)
- Esthetics—study of appreciation of arts or things beautiful

Nursing Philosophy

Statement of foundational and universal assumptions, beliefs, and principles about the nature of knowledge and thought (epistemology) and the nature of entities represented in the metaparadigm (i.e., nursing practice and human health [ontology])
Provides perspectives for practice, scholarship, and research

Science and Philosophy—Worldviews

Empiricism/positivism (received view)
What is experienced is what exists.
Examines parts to understand the whole (reductionistic)
Individuals learn by being told or receiving knowledge.