Abstract
Starting with a distinction of two types of discourse analysis—the analysis of a discourse and discursive analysis—the article discusses an analytical genealogy of truth and knowledge production, that can fulfill both empirical and archival
requirements. The model’s main purpose lies in understanding diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making in doctor–patient
interactions. Historically, diagnostic and therapeutic discourses, in particular in “experimental medicine and medical theory”,
used to be part of natural philosophy in the 18th and 19th century in the form of dietetics, respectively, psychosomatic medicine
and medical semiotics, as well as proto-semiotic philosophy and proto-pragmatism did belong to the same discourses. Subsequently,
pragmatic and semiotic social sciences should be enabled to invoke this conceptual legacy to build a bridge between contemporary
medical practice and semiotic theories. In discussing the genealogical model in light of the discourse of Norbert Wiley and
Margaret Archer, it will be made clear that the model, combined with a deeper understanding of the history of ideas, and a
combination of archival and empirical attitude in research, is an effective tool for sociologists of knowledge and medicine.
requirements. The model’s main purpose lies in understanding diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making in doctor–patient
interactions. Historically, diagnostic and therapeutic discourses, in particular in “experimental medicine and medical theory”,
used to be part of natural philosophy in the 18th and 19th century in the form of dietetics, respectively, psychosomatic medicine
and medical semiotics, as well as proto-semiotic philosophy and proto-pragmatism did belong to the same discourses. Subsequently,
pragmatic and semiotic social sciences should be enabled to invoke this conceptual legacy to build a bridge between contemporary
medical practice and semiotic theories. In discussing the genealogical model in light of the discourse of Norbert Wiley and
Margaret Archer, it will be made clear that the model, combined with a deeper understanding of the history of ideas, and a
combination of archival and empirical attitude in research, is an effective tool for sociologists of knowledge and medicine.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s12108-011-9128-z
- Authors
- Alexander I. Stingl, Institute for Transcultural Health Sciences (INTRAG), European University Viadrina, PF 1786, D-15207 Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany
- Journal The American Sociologist
- Online ISSN 1936-4784
- Print ISSN 0003-1232