La fabrique des prodiges. Théorie et stratégies du diagnostic chez Galien

Abstract

Galen at the bedside of his patient does not favour questioning: he observes, examines, and listens to what is said, but for him the intersubjective dimension of the patient doctor relationship does not seem to come first. He does not carry out his diagnosis in cooperation with the patient, but rather aims for surprise and grand revelation. The question is whether adopting such an omniscient stance is basically a means to assert authority or is itself part of the therapeutic process. Galen’s diagnostic method is thus discussed as a theoretical procedure and then as a practical activity depending on the aptitudes and dispositions of each patient.