METAPHYSICS AND THE PHYSICIAN - THE LEGACY OF SIR BROWNE,THOMAS

Philosophers and preachers urge us to scrutinize our lives. Physicians are fortunate to have many opportunities to examine themselves, confr onted as they are by the exigencies of life. They view the joys and su fferings of daily life, assist the sick and the desperate as they are able, and accept the challenges inherent in helping their patients fac e the inevitability of death. For many doctors the demands of educatio n, training and practice limit the hours available for appraising the meanings, purposes and rewards of a life well lived. Another hurdle is a lack of discipline in self-reflection and in critical assessment of feelings and emotions. The education of the physician discourages mus ing about the self, meditation arising from the depths of our being an d the clarification of defining values. The author considers the inner person. To do so, the life and writings of 17th century physician Sir Thomas Browne are examined.