Dialectics of mindfulness: implications for western medicine.
Philos Ethics Humanit Med May 17, 2011 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1186/1747-5341-6-10 via PubMed Central
Summary
The article examines the philosophical and practical tensions in integrating mindfulness, rooted in Buddhist dialectics, into Western medicine. It argues that mindfulness is often stripped of its ethical and transformative dimensions when adapted for clinical use, potentially reducing its efficacy and meaning. The discussion highlights how Western medicine's mechanistic worldview conflicts with mindfulness's holistic, process-oriented origins, suggesting that true integration requires rethinking underlying assumptions about health and healing.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Mindfulness is often decontextualized from its Buddhist dialectical framework when applied in Western medicine, which may undermine its transformative potential. |
Abstract
Dialectics of mindfulness: implications for western medicine.