Colloquium 2: The BPSM as a model of biopsychosocial causal interactions

When George Engel proposed the BPSM – way back in 1977 – he realised that a lot of prejudice had to be overcome to let in psychological and social processes as causal factors. They included physicalism, reductionism, the view that biology was reducible to physics & chemistry, and mind/body dualism. These are deep science theory issues bordering into philosophy. However, current critical commentators in health agree with Engel that for the BPSM to be feasible, these assumptions will need to be ditched & replaced. I propose a way of doing this using current paradigms in biology (crucial role of regulatory mechanisms) and psychology (embodied cognition as agency) + some political philosophy (autonomy & recognition).

This is event is the second in a series of four Sowerby Philosophy and Medicine colloquia with Prof Derek Bolton of King's College London.

For those holding a valid KCL ID, there is no need to register.