Philosophical analysis and its value to the nurse teacher

Abstract

Philosophy is often regarded as a subject which is only of interest to those engaged in academic pursuits. This paper suggests that it can be of practical value to nurse teachers. Indeed never more so than today, with the current emphasis on change and decision making, be it in relation to curriculum development or the future of professional education. Change is occurring at such speed, that we have little time to ponder and, therefore, cannot afford ‘faulty logic’. The article commences with a description of the processes involved in philosophical analysis, including linguistic and conceptual analysis, asking different types of questions and determining the validity of arguments. It goes on to consider why nurse teachers should adopt this approach and finally the necessity of its inclusion in curricula for basic nurse education.