Leiden University Student Repository

Ruiter, Joke (2023)

Title: Help me, but do not kill me! Ethics of psychiatry in the light of Levinas and Derrida

Bachelor thesis | Filosofie (BA)

In this paper I explore the ethical relation of a psychiatrist with a patient. How can a psychiatrist do justice to a patient who, as an individual human being, asks for his help? Referring to Levinas’ philosophy of ethics I claim that diagnostic-psychiatrists fail to acknowledge the singularity of the patient. Recovery-psychiatrists seem to act in line with Levinas’ philosophy of ethics with his focus on singularity. However, analyzing the relation of the psychiatrist and the patient using Derrida’s philosophy of hospitality, I conclude that the recovery-psychiatrist has to accept that, while aspiring a moral relationship with the patient, is bound to use his medical knowledge as well. Knowledge that has to be evaluated constantly in the light of the appeal to do justice to alterity.

Psychiatry

Levinas

Derrida

Recovery

Diagnostic

Author

Ruiter, Joke

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Ethiek en politieke filosofie

Supervisors

Prof. S. Lindberg

ECTS Credits

10

Language

en