The topic readings addressing the perspectives on perceiving holistic care are quite controversial by nature, as they encourage the clinician’s ability to assess the information critically and find a middle ground between the approaches. Thus, one of the most interesting concepts tackled in the topic readings is the evaluation of scientism as a means of explaining the phenomena of death, illness, and morality. The sphere of medicine is frequently associated with quite a skeptical attitude towards the notions of miracle and faith, as sometimes people mistake the hard work of the medical professional for a spiritual miracle. As a result, some professionals struggle with their qualifications being undermined in the face of religion and spirituality.
Considering this information, one may assume that the adherence to scientism is an option to describe the medical interference as the only relevant explanation of treatment and healing in general. The phenomenon of scientism, according to Sorell, stands for “a matter of putting too high a value on natural science in comparison with other branches of learning or culture” (Burnett, n.d., para. 3). Eventually, when prioritizing scientism over other aspects, the professionals struggle to recognize the patients’ individual perceptions of disease and life and create a considerable communication gap. This gap can be bridged by encouraging spirituality as means of promoting one’s well-being and motivation to recover (Grand Canyon University, 2020). As far as the notions of healing and disease are concerned, the information provided in the readings has value in terms of the urge to combine professional and spiritual perceptions of illness and recovery for the patients. Thus, while it is of paramount importance to explain to the patient the medical aspect of the disease, it is of equal significance to promote not exclusively Christian but an overall spiritual understanding of well-being and motivation to rehabilitate.
References
Burnett, T. (n.d.). What is scientism?
Grand Canyon University. (Ed.). (2020). Practicing dignity: An introduction to Christian values and decision making in health care [E-book].