Image: The Doctor. Luke Fildes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Date: April 12, 2025. 10 am - 5 pm (JST).
Location: Seminar Room 6, 13th Floor, Faculty of Medicine Experimental Research Building, The University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus (Building No. 35 on the map) + Online (Hybrid)
Registration Fee: Free (Travel Grants available to Early Career Researchers)
On April 12, 2025, we held a workshop on the philosophy of science in medicine, featuring Professor Somogy Varga as the keynote speaker. The workshop was organized and made possible in conjunction with Professor Varga’s visit to Japan as a visiting fellow at the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study. He is the author of Science, Medicine, and the Aims of Inquiry, the book we have been reading in our philosophy of medicine reading group.
The event brought together around 40 participants, both in person and online, including students and researchers from diverse academic backgrounds such as philosophy, medicine, psychology, and medical anthropology, both from Japan and abroad. We engaged in lively discussions throughout the day from a variety of perspectives, and the workshop also fostered connections among participants that may lead to future collaborations. Thanks to all the participants, it was an intellectually rich and rewarding experience.
In addition to the keynote lecture, the workshop featured three presentations. Dr. Sato discussed the epistemological differences between clinical and basic medical research, focusing on aspects such as how academic papers are written and the number and use of figures and tables. Dr. Shimizu, a co-organizer of the event, examined the intersection between debates on values in philosophy of science and the Social Value Requirement (SVR) in clinical research ethics, emphasizing the need for research that bridges both domains. Dr. Sakakibara presented on the particular challenges of psychiatry, including the moral dimensions of symptoms, the difficulty of applying mechanistic approaches, and the complex issues surrounding objectification.
In his keynote lecture, Professor Somogy Varga discussed the aims of medicine, drawing on arguments from his recent book Science, Medicine, and the Aims of Inquiry. He emphasized the key importance of a specific notion of health and individual autonomy in capturing the aim of medicine.
Following the keynote, we held a flash talk session in which over 10 participants introduced their research projects in under 5 minutes. The number and enthusiasm of participants interested in the philosophy of science in medicine highlighted the potential for this field to develop into a broader academic movement.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined the event. The workshop, Professor Varga’s invitation, and travel grants for early-career researchers were made possible through the generous support of the Nakatsuiji Foresight Foundation and the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study. We sincerely appreciate their contributions.
Thank you again to all who joined us.
Tatsuyuki Sato, on behalf of the organizing team
(Updated 4/8)
10:00 Opening
10:15-11:00 Tatsuyuki Sato
"Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences: What’s in Common and What’s Different”
11:00-11:45 Ukyo Shimizu
"Bridging Philosophy of Science and Clinical Research Ethics: Towards a Valuable Integration"
11:45-13:00 Lunch Break
13:00-13:45 Eisuke Sakakibara
"Psychiatry as a practice of treating disorders with patients' active involvement"
13:45-14:45 Keynote lecture: Dr. Somogy Varga
"Philosophy of Medicine: Recent Advances and Future Directions"
14:45-15:30 Discussion
15:45-16:15 In-person flash talks
16:15-17:00 Online flash talks
17:00 Closing
18:00- Networking & Dinner (Paid event)
Please register here:
General Registration Deadline: April 8, 2025
Flash Talk Registration Deadline: March 31, 2025
Travel Grant Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
We warmly invite all participants to submit proposals for flash talks. Any talks related to the Philosophy of Medicine are welcome. The talk can be 1-5 min long and can be both in-person or online. We especially encourage early-career medical professionals and researchers to contribute.
Due to time constraints, we may not be able to accommodate all requests for presentations. In such cases, priority will be given to in-person participants. Thank you for your understanding.
If you are interested in presenting a flash talk, please register here.
We strive to assist early-career medical professionals and researchers by offering partial funding for travel expenses, subjet to the availability of funding. If you wish to be considered for this support, please indicate it when registering.
Travel grants are only available to those attending in person. Due to limited funding, the grant will not cover international travel. We will prioritize applicants who will present flash talks during the workshop and are at an earlier stage in their careers.
If you would like to apply, please submit your application here.
Important Dates
March 31, 11:59 PM (JST): Deadline for the Travel Grant Application Form
April 7: Notification of awardees
April 12: Workshop
April 19: Deadline for submitting receipts for travel and accommodation
Reimbursement will be processed around May to June.
For any questions, please contact Tatsuyuki Sato (tatsuyukisato[at]gmail.com).
This event is sponsored by Nakatsuji Foresight Foundation and Waseda Institute for Advanced Study.