「病の文学」を読む意義 (2)

他者理解の可能性と生命の連帯性

抄録

The purpose of this study is to consider the significance of reading "literatures written by patients" in the medical faculty. This study is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the philosophical question: "How can we understand patients as other minds?" The second part deals with the concrete methods and the results of understanding patients by reading literatures written by patients. In this paper I deal with the second part.
        In the first, we think the motives to write and read 'literatures written by patients'. Patients want to rearrange and recover themselves through writing their sufferings. And they also seek for the solidarity of healthy people. At the same time, healthy people learn deeper meanings of lives from patients through reading these literatures. A relationship of solidarity can consist between patients and healthy people.
        Next we consider the concrete methods to understand patients by reading their works. We learn methods from W. Dilthey's study. According to him, spiritual science describes consciousness as a whole, and analyzes it. Particular expressions of author must be understood in relation to author's whole life (Lebenszusammenhang). This process is performed in three steps: 1) to put myself into another person's place (Hineinversetzen), 2) to experience for oneself what another person has gone through (Nacherleben), 3) to interpret him internally (Auslegen).
        Then I want to reproduce my lecture. We treat Shiki Masaoka's "An Idle Monologue in Sick Bed" (Gyoga Manroku). I show how we can understand the author's motives, attitudes, and a world-view, according to methods we considered.
        Finally, we ascertain that 'reading literatures written by patients' and doing medical practices have the same meanings in the relation to patients. The spirit of "care" is also included in this matter.