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Proudly Advocating for the Virtue of Humility in the Medical Profession
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613883482505216 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Louw, Heindrich de Villiers |
| author2 | Smit, Johannes P. |
| author_browse | Louw, Heindrich de Villiers Smit, Johannes P. |
| author_facet | Smit, Johannes P. Louw, Heindrich de Villiers |
| author_sort | Louw, Heindrich de Villiers |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136281 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:13.574Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136281 Proudly Advocating for the Virtue of Humility in the Medical Profession Louw, Heindrich de Villiers Smit, Johannes P. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Louw, H. D. 2026. Proudly Advocating for the Virtue of Humility in the Medical Profession. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/549d9c6b-0427-469b-986c-be4de739cabd Scientific knowledge has increased at an extraordinary rate in the biomedical field. This increase has been accompanied by a confidence that has exceeded our predecessors. However, over time, it has been necessary to limit this confidence because of its negative consequences. One factor associated with these consequences is that we do not know the limits of our knowledge. Human knowledge is fraught with limitations and our incognizance, i.e. unawareness, affects the way that we practice in the medical profession. As practitioners in this field, we are often unaware of our cognitive biases, the limitations inherent in the provisional nature of science, our experiential knowledge and the sociopolitical influences that are rampant in our discipline. I argue that the virtue of epistemic humility, which is the rational acceptance of epistemic limits (RAEL), is essential in preventing the harms that transpire when we are incognizant of our limits. The cognitive state of accepting these limits will lead to epistemic integrity, a good internal to the practice of medicine. When we possess this good, it fosters trust in the medical field, which allow us to better care for those entrusted to us. Masters 2026-04-30T12:43:10Z 2026-04-30T12:43:10Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136281 en Stellenbosch University 75 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Louw, Heindrich de Villiers Proudly Advocating for the Virtue of Humility in the Medical Profession |
| title | Proudly Advocating for the Virtue of Humility in the Medical Profession |
| title_full | Proudly Advocating for the Virtue of Humility in the Medical Profession |
| title_fullStr | Proudly Advocating for the Virtue of Humility in the Medical Profession |
| title_full_unstemmed | Proudly Advocating for the Virtue of Humility in the Medical Profession |
| title_short | Proudly Advocating for the Virtue of Humility in the Medical Profession |
| title_sort | proudly advocating for the virtue of humility in the medical profession |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136281 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT louwheindrichdevilliers proudlyadvocatingforthevirtueofhumilityinthemedicalprofession |