Review of The Virtuous Physician
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MEGHA CHHARI
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- Latest Review: The Virtuous Physician by Elliott B. Martin, Jr.
Review of The Virtuous Physician
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Virtuous Physician" by Elliott B. Martin, Jr..]
The author of "The Virtuous Physician" ,from his academic qualifications claims himself to be an upright figure to comment on the evolution of historical medical codes such as records and ethics. While the book's cover suggests a formal academic work, the language is surprisingly casual and informal, which may feel inconsistent with the subject's depth. The narrative begins with the author's memories of him taking steps as a medical professional, then turns into the history of figures like Hippocrates, Jewish healers and various books that were found from the world. The book highlights how medicine transitioned from being intertwined with "religion" and "supernatural elements" to a more "scientific" discipline, and further on ethical conduct of a physician. There was no concept of euthanasia, which was interesting to know other than the medical code of ethics.
However, the flow of information is often incoherent. The author introduces broad concepts but tends to jump between different branches, making it hard to follow his line of thought. The language could have been more concise, as there are repeated ideas that could be condensed. He talks about his own experiences during the pandemic as a physician and links the same with the familiarity he found in books of philosophers like Sisyphus and Albert Camus but due to abrupt shifting it felt disjointed.
While the author sets out to analyze the Greek code of ethics and the concept of a virtuous physician, the book could have been more accessible to beginners. The introduction to the history and concepts is rushed, and the pacing makes it challenging for readers unfamiliar with medical history. When the book starts, you would think it is related to medical history, but it covers a large part of the evolution of religion in the world. It would have benefited from a slower, more structured presentation of concepts. Additionally, the author's translation of ancient texts is interrupted by personal comments, which detracts from the purity of the original material. This approach makes the translation feel more like an interpretation, which some readers may find off-putting.
The book struggles with a lack of coherent organization, shifting from discussions on translation, medical ethics, and philosophical reflections on works like Albert Camus' "The Stranger." Despite aiming at medicine, philosophy, and ethics, the book feels fragmented, as if it was hastily compiled without a clear direction. It reads more like a collection of paragraphs rather than a cohesive work.
It was not a translation l would personally refer to as it gives a very dismantled version of the source. It could have better been a small research paper for all it had, but no book was required. The chapters are not categorized or appropriately made. The book shifts from translation and medicine, which is rarely talked about, to a book review and opinion of Albus Camus, "The Stranger" " The book, even though it claims to be aimed at medicine and translation, has disappointed in the claim as it feels very dismantled and scraped away. The book has been a short experience of the author in a pandemic as a physician but more so as a person, but l could not find the connection he was trying to establish; l think the book was rushed and therefore should have been given time to be reread and requires many improvements as I mentioned above. Therefore, l rate it 1/5.
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The Virtuous Physician
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The author of "The Virtuous Physician" ,from his academic qualifications claims himself to be an upright figure to comment on the evolution of historical medical codes such as records and ethics. While the book's cover suggests a formal academic work, the language is surprisingly casual and informal, which may feel inconsistent with the subject's depth. The narrative begins with the author's memories of him taking steps as a medical professional, then turns into the history of figures like Hippocrates, Jewish healers and various books that were found from the world. The book highlights how medicine transitioned from being intertwined with "religion" and "supernatural elements" to a more "scientific" discipline, and further on ethical conduct of a physician. There was no concept of euthanasia, which was interesting to know other than the medical code of ethics.
However, the flow of information is often incoherent. The author introduces broad concepts but tends to jump between different branches, making it hard to follow his line of thought. The language could have been more concise, as there are repeated ideas that could be condensed. He talks about his own experiences during the pandemic as a physician and links the same with the familiarity he found in books of philosophers like Sisyphus and Albert Camus but due to abrupt shifting it felt disjointed.
While the author sets out to analyze the Greek code of ethics and the concept of a virtuous physician, the book could have been more accessible to beginners. The introduction to the history and concepts is rushed, and the pacing makes it challenging for readers unfamiliar with medical history. When the book starts, you would think it is related to medical history, but it covers a large part of the evolution of religion in the world. It would have benefited from a slower, more structured presentation of concepts. Additionally, the author's translation of ancient texts is interrupted by personal comments, which detracts from the purity of the original material. This approach makes the translation feel more like an interpretation, which some readers may find off-putting.
The book struggles with a lack of coherent organization, shifting from discussions on translation, medical ethics, and philosophical reflections on works like Albert Camus' "The Stranger." Despite aiming at medicine, philosophy, and ethics, the book feels fragmented, as if it was hastily compiled without a clear direction. It reads more like a collection of paragraphs rather than a cohesive work.
It was not a translation l would personally refer to as it gives a very dismantled version of the source. It could have better been a small research paper for all it had, but no book was required. The chapters are not categorized or appropriately made. The book shifts from translation and medicine, which is rarely talked about, to a book review and opinion of Albus Camus, "The Stranger" " The book, even though it claims to be aimed at medicine and translation, has disappointed in the claim as it feels very dismantled and scraped away. The book has been a short experience of the author in a pandemic as a physician but more so as a person, but l could not find the connection he was trying to establish; l think the book was rushed and therefore should have been given time to be reread and requires many improvements as I mentioned above. Therefore, l rate it 1/5.
******
The Virtuous Physician
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Virtuous Physician by Elliott B. Martin, Jr.
