“Autonomy & Trust in Modern Medicine”

Göttingen (Germany), February , 14-15, 2013

organized by: Interdisciplinary Research Group “Autonomy & Trust in Modern Medicine”
funded by the Volkswagen Foundation

Coordinator: Inst. of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine
University Medical Center Göttingen

Keynote speakers:

Michael Calnan (UK)

Alastair V. Campbell (SGP)

Caroline McLeod (CAN)

Marina Oshana (USA)

Ulla Schmidt (NO)

Subject:

In liberal and individualized societies patients’ right to self-determination is rightly held in high esteem. Yet, in a highly complex world defined by scientific and technological rationalities, autonomous agency can only increase when individuals develop trust in persons and trust in systems. Since autonomy is acknowledged as a key concept in modern liberal societies, the same could be true of trust. Both are means to cope with patients’ and health care professionals’ vulnerability and insecurity that grow with the ever increasing options of modern medicine. The conference will focus on approaches that attempt to understand the meaning and relation of autonomy and trust in the medical context. From different disciplinary perspectives, we want to examine how autonomy and trust depend on each other on an individual, interrelational and collective level, how they are generated or undermined and how they are justified. In particular, we aim to explore the role of organisations and institutions – like the hospital – and collective actors – like the family or patients groups. Which role do they play regarding interpretation and realisation of trust and autonomy in medicine?

Conference Venue - International Conference:

Historic Observatory
Geismar Landstr. 11
37083 Göttingen

Kontakt:

Katharina Lüttich, M.A.
Inst. für Ethik und Geschichte der Medizin
Universitätsmedizin Göttingen
Humboldtallee 36
37073 Göttingen
 
Katharina.Luettich(at)medizin.uni-goettingen.de
0551 / 39 - 4184