Page 43 - Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring

NU RSING: THE PHILO S OPHY A ND SCIENCE OF C A R I N G , revI s e d ed I t I o n
conventional science are objectivism, positivism, and reductionism
(Harman 1990–1991; Watson 2005). Science in this context cannot
answer certain questions about humanity, about caring and what it
means to be human. Science generally is not concerned with specific
individual responses but more with prediction and generalizations
about anonymous others. It cannot be expected or called upon to keep
alive a sense of common humanity (Watson 1979:4). It does not offer
insights into depth of human experiences such as pain, joy, suffering,
fear, forgiveness, love, and so on. Such in-depth exploration of human-
ity is expressed and pondered through study of philosophy, drama,
the arts, film, literature, humanistic studies in the liberal arts, humani-
ties proper, and so on. This perspective is learned through self-knowl-
edge, self-discovery, and shared human experiences, combined with
the study of human emotions and relations that mirror our shared
humanity.
In spite of inherent differences between science and the humani-
ties, both fields and, in fact, all fields of study are changing, expand-
ing, growing into new dynamic intersections between and among
each other. There is a convergence between and among art, science,
and spirituality; this convergence is becoming more prevalent among
emerging models of mind-body-spirit medicine, so-called comple-
mentary-alternative-integrative medicine, and new understandings of
the physics of science, energy medicine, spirituality and healing, and
so forth.
The intersections between art and science help reveal what is
beyond the confines and contingencies of the visible world, to “see”
that which is deeper, glimpsing the human spirit, the human soul, its
beauty and loveliness, whatever its shape or form (Housden 2005:3).
As Housden put it, art helps our eyes see more than they usually do:
about life in general but also about ourselves. The same can be said for
the humanities, drama, and also science, opening up a new horizon
of meaning and possibilities. However, art helps us “to bear witness
to eternal joy, suffering, pain and struggle of our own human soul
and to feel the poignant, bittersweet reality of our physical mortality”
(Housden 2005:3). In their own ways, art and science remind us that
we are “both finite and infinite and everything in between” (Housden

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