Running head: PHENOMENALISM AND PSYCHIATRIC NURSING PRACTICE
Phenomenalism and Psychiatric Nursing Practice
Dayle Lauren
Stenberg College
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PHENOMENALISM AND PSYCHIATRIC NURSING PRACTICE
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Phenomenalism and Psychiatric Nursing Practice
A comprehension of philosophy can influence the psychiatric nurse’s practice through a
philosophical appreciation of how one perceives their world. This is important in creating the
foundation on which to build a solid therapeutic relationship with a mental health patient. In
particular, by understanding phenomenalism and the underlying concepts within, a psychiatric
nurse is able to apply philosophical knowledge to elicit a deeper sense of the perceived reality of
the patient, and thus, gain a deeper grasp of their illness.
Phenomenalism is defined by Hospers (1997) as a theory that attempts to combine the
elements of perception as both an experience in the here and now, as well as a perceivable
experience that exists regardless. Part of phenomenalist view is two distinct considerations: the
element of sense-data: a concept that what we experience through our senses is a series of
patterns, colors, shapes and sounds that uniquely identify our experiences as individual
experiences (Hospers, 1997), and secondly, the concept of “the given”; what is directly presented
to our senses prior to any interpretation or further classification by our brain (Hospers, 1997, p.
94). In considering these two philosophical defining concepts of phenomenalism in relation to
nursing practice, one can see value in this deeper understanding of perception within mental
health issues.
There are many philosophical theories that abound the area of perception of our world.
Causal theories, for example, posit that things in our world cause certain perceptions to come
into being; they cause ‘ideas’ to exist, and that it is these ideas, in and of themselves only, that is
what people perceive (Kennedy, Green, Nicholls, & Liu, 1992). Berkeley (1710/1963), in
comparison, posed the concept of idealism; the belief that nothing exists in the world outside of
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one’s own perception of them (Kennedy et al., 1992). Many more theories exist, but the concept
of phenomenalism was
“intended as a bridging argument that allowed one to avoid, on the one hand, the
ontological commitments of materialism and, on the other hand, the danger of slipping
into idealism and ultimately, solipsism. In essence, the phenomenalist position claims that
all talk about objects in the world can, in principle, be reduced to talk about sense-data,
thus avoiding all metaphysical speculation about what is real”(Kennedy et al., 1992, p.
154).
For the sake of contemplating the implications of the relationship between philosophy and
nursing practice, this stance offers a critical and fairly unbiased consideration. Mill (1865/1979)
was one of the leading phenomenalists who defined matter as “nothing more than the “permanent
possibility of sensation”” (Kennedy et al., 1992, p. 155). Interestingly enough, the field of
psychiatric medicine follows the ontological realist’s view that “mental disorders exist and that
they have measurable effects, including behavioral symptoms” (Lovett & Hood, 2011, p. 208).
Keeping this in mind, Lovett & Hood (2011) illustrate that it is apparent the philosophy of
science has a substantive role to play. This equates to an ongoing awareness and articulation of
background assumptions that may exist regarding measurement and the ontology of
psychological disorders (Lovett & Hood, 2011). The irony of the realist view in relation to
mental health is that it not only asserts that psychological disorders exist, but that “knowledge
about the unobservable causes of pathological behaviour is an attainable epistemic goal” (Lovett
& Hood, 2011, p. 213). It is therefore important to possess a deep understanding of
philosophical theories surrounding perception to further make sound judgment of psychiatric
nursing diagnoses. The fact that a psychiatric nursing diagnosis takes into consideration both
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subjective and objective data retrieved from the patient and the observations of the nurse, how
then can one stipulate and therefore identify what is real from what is not? If phenomenalist
views are to be considered, there must be an appreciation and acceptance of the patients’ sensedata and their interpretation of “the given” as described by Hospers (1997). Perception, as
agreed by all realism theorists, is ‘causally’ mediated. Furthermore, as explained by Hospers,
data is classified before us in varying ways, dependent on cultural background and individual
interests: therefore, it is not that someone else does not ‘get it’ or ‘see it’; it is simply that
interpretation of the data from their senses differs from others (Hospers, 1997). Hospers further
argues that this “given” is not indubitable as one might suggest; it is only acquaintance, and
therefore does not provide us with any knowledge that it is either true or untrue until we gain
knowledge from interpretation (1997). As nurses therefore, one must remain open to the concept
of phenomenalism and its underlying concepts; a nurse is not in a position to argue what is true
and what isn’t true for a mental health patient, but rather, can only offer support and develop
trust to help the individual through their journey of self-discovery and ultimately, their own
recovery.
Through discussion of the definitions and concepts within philosophy as outlined herein,
it becomes evident that philosophy and nursing practice can work cohesively to provide a strong
and knowledgeable foundation on which to build a progressive and healthy therapeutic
relationship. Furthermore, with an understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of
‘perception’ specifically, as well as biological knowledge of the human psyche, the nurse is
guided into a deeper awareness of the realities of the patient experiencing a mental health issues.
As quoted by Holt et al, (1912); “The entities of the universe… have no substance, but if the
spirit is weak to understand this, then let the flesh, for a season, here predicate a neutral
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substance”(Kennedy et al., 1992, p. 156). To further add to this concept and to conclude this
discussion, a relevant quote by Hospers: “…it seems, the fact that we know of no explanation of
these causal connections in no way proves that they do not occur; indeed, it seems obvious from
hundreds of examples everyday that they do occur” (Hospers, 1997, p. 181).
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References
Hospers, J. (1997). An introduction to philosophical analysis (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Kennedy, J. M., Green, C. D., Nicholls, A., & Liu, C. H. (1992). Illusions and knowing what is
real. Ecological Psychology, 4, 153-172. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=7404689&site=ehostlive
Lovett, B. J., & Hood, S. B. (2011, April). Realism and operationism in psychiatric diagnosis.
Philosophical Psychology, 24, 207-222.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09515089.2011.558498
PHENOMENALISM AND PSYCHIATRIC NURSING PRACTICE
Grade
Graded on
7
49.00 / 50.00
Monday, 4 February 2013, 1:28 PM
Graded by
Sherri Leon Torres
Dayle:
Your paper gives an accurate description of the concept of phenomenalism
and the incorporation of philosophical concepts into everyday nursing
Feedback practice. Your introduction is strong and gives a clear central thesis and
comments well developed introductory arguments. Your use of APA is accurate with
some minor errors. There are no headings in the paper, making it difficult
to follow the organization you intended for it. Your paper is well written
with no grammatical errors. Your arguments throughout the paper are
well developed and substantiated by credible sources.
All in all a great paper. 49/50