Linacre Quarterly最新文献

After being outlawed in 1970, psychedelics have reemerged in the consciousness of Western society in the form of the so-called psychedelic renaissance. This has led to widespread interest in psychedelic compounds being used for recreation, treatment of mental illness and addiction, and even the so-called "enhancement" of individuals and society. This renewed interest in psychedelics has resulted in seemingly endless publications in both the popular and the academic press, including authors from fields as diverse as philosophy, theology, pharmacology, neuroscience, and clinical medicine. A common thread in this developing literature is the claim that psychedelic compounds mediate their reported benefits by inducing the so-called psychedelic mystical experience (PME). The nature of PME is hotly debated, with some claiming that it is entirely psychological and others proposing that it involves contact with extramental reality. This raises a number of important questions for Catholics, especially whether PME should be considered properly "mystical," how PME compares with traditionally understood Catholic mysticism, and whether, and if so under what conditions, psychedelics could be licitly used by the Catholic faithful. This paper is an attempt to begin the process of reconciling empiric scientific data regarding psychedelics generally, and PME specifically, with Catholic philosophical and theological considerations, with the goal of both providing recommendations regarding the licitness of the use of psychedelic compounds and inviting conversation about this important and challenging topic.

Summary: Over the past 20 years, there has been a renewed interest in of psychedelics. Many articles have been published extoling the benefits of psychedelics, including for the treatment of mental illness and addiction, recreation, and "enhancement" of individuals and society. A common claim is that the benefits of psychedelics are a result of the psychedelic mystical experience (PME). This paper considers both the use of psychedelics and PME from the perspective of Catholic theology, provides recommendations about their use for the Catholic faithful, and invites further conversation about this important and challenging topic.

Short summary: This paper considers challenges posed by psychedelics, considers licitness of use, and calls for further discussion.

Among the strongest critics of gender identity theory (GIT) and queer theory (QT) are gender critical feminists (GCF) because of the potentially negative impact of these theories on women and the feminist movement. Yet, GCF are fully supportive of the notion of homosexuality as a normal and authentic expression of human sexuality. In this essay, I explore the logical connections that exist between the normalization of homosexuality and both GIT and QT, arguing that the acceptance of homosexuality as normal necessarily entails commitments that are at the very heart of these erroneous theories of sex and gender. In this way, there is fundamental incoherence in the opposition of GCF to GIT and QT. At the very heart of these theories is the denial of the significance of the way in which an individual is configured for human generation when it comes to personal identity. Homosexuality, likewise, fosters the notion that the generative configuration of an individual is insignificant because it is accorded no importance in guiding the truthful expression of sexuality precisely in that realm where generative configuration is the foundational reality. Developing this point, the essay shows how: (a) the acceptance of homosexuality as normal undermines the insistence by GCF of the primacy of sex over gender as the category on which the distinction of woman from man is founded; (b) the acceptance of homosexual inclination as normal undermines the possibility of claiming that transgenderism and those with gender identity disorder misperceive reality; and (c) how acceptance of homosexuality as an authentic alternative to heterosexuality involves logical commitments that validate the claim that a "transwoman" is equally a woman as any other.

The culture of medical training and contemporary medicine is largely influenced by "spaceship ethics," where healthcare professionals are taught to take "refuge in principles that place them outside, or above, the complicated, ambiguous, contradictory lives of those others who sicken and die" (Irvine and Charon 2016). Is there a better way that medicine can care for individuals immersed in ambiguous, contradictory lives of sickness and death? In this paper, we argue that one corrective to spaceship ethics is reimagining medicine as a practice of solidarity. At its conceptual core, solidarity is a cooperative relationship that transcends self-interest and respects each person's dignity and sense of belonging-a collective human need that does not distinguish caregivers from patients. We build a theory of solidarity in the context of medical training by describing the life and legacy of Father Damien as well as the ongoing HIV-focused work of Shalom Delhi. We then discuss three practical ways in which contemporary medical training can encourage solidarity: (1) proximity to patients and communities; (2) choosing careers based on a community's needs; and (3) an openness to transformation by patients. We conclude that solidarity can be a corrective to spaceship ethics by enabling healthcare professionals to engage in complicated social realities of sickness, death, and provider-patient dynamics. A practice of medicine that is animated by a commitment to this type of solidarity reorients clinicians' lives and professional priorities around the experiences of the patients they care for. In a medical culture that trains healthcare practitioners to distance themselves from patients as whole persons, practicing solidarity encourages sustained proximity, advocacy, and dignity.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1177/00243639251317690.].

At age 21, following a severe traumatic brain injury, Zack Dunlap was declared brain-dead according to the American Academy of Neurology guideline (Guideline) when he met the clinical criteria of brain death (minus apnea testing because of bradycardia) with technetium-99m diethylene-triamine-pentaacetate scintigraphy reported as showing no intracranial blood flow. His parents agreed to organ donation. During preparations for organ donation, Zack manifested a purposeful movement in response to a noxious stimulus made by his cousin. Following subsequent neurological recovery, he has returned to a normal life, holding steady employment and raising a family. During an interview, he reported that while in coma, he heard a doctor say that he was brain-dead and felt angry about it. His experience fits the phenomenon of cognitive-motor dissociation. Recently, Zack's medical records were made available to the first author. A critical review of the records uncovered a problem inherent in the logic of the Guideline algorithm regarding brain blood flow scintigraphy. This article discusses the lessons drawn from Zack's case, namely, that both the aforementioned problem and the occurrence of cognitive-motor dissociation in patients deemed to be brain-dead can pose a significant risk of a false-positive declaration of death.

Physician burnout, studied for over fifty years in scientific literature, has been shown to negatively affect physician health, patient care, and the healthcare system. While various commendable systemic and individualistic approaches have been described and actively implemented to minimize burnout, it is important to also consider approaches to maximize physician wellness. For the Catholic physician, the ultimate model of wellness is Jesus Christ, the Divine Physician. In this article, we propose that the physician can follow the spiritual progress model of wellness presented in The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis to address burnout.

As the number of elderly persons rises, there is a gradual increase in reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) to augment healthcare systems. How do we interpret AI in elderly care (EC) in light of the Catholic theological tradition? As far as the literature goes to date, there is still much room for discourse. For this reason, this article hopes to contribute in that regard and, more importantly, to encourage others to further the discourse. In the present commentary, I first examine some aging trends in the world population. Afterward, I briefly describe AI use in healthcare, especially for EC. I then explore prominent ethical concerns related to it. Finally, I theologically reflect on using AI for EC vis-à-vis the magisterial teachings on aging and AI.