Development of a conceptual map on Georges Canguilhem's epistemology: experience report

Abstract

The aim is to describe the experience of creating a conceptual map on Georges Canguilhem's epistemology. The work “The Normal and the Pathological” by Georges Canguilhem, which deals with issues related to health, illness and healing, was used as a reflection. Key concepts were identified in Canguilhem's work, such as "norm", "pathology", "vitalism" and "knowledge" and six main categories: 1) Definitions and Distinctions; 2) Responsibility of the Living Being; 3) Relativity of Health and Illness; 4) Examples and Case Studies; 5) Philosophical and Physiological Perspectives; 6) Health as a Feeling and Meaning of Life. The conceptual map was created using the Canva application, which allowed for a calear visualization of the interconnections between the concepts. The study highlighted the importance of the conceptual map to understand the complexity of the notions of health and illness, according to Canguilhem, which challenges traditional and positivist definitions. The analysis revealed that illness should be understood not as the absence of health, but as an expression of the body to maintain balance and homeostasis, taking into account the individuality and subjectivity of each individual. In this way, normality cannot be seen as a fixed and immutable state, but as a dynamic and constantly evolving process, an expression of the organism's adaptation to its conditions. And, the boundary between normal and pathological is not a clear and objective line, but a space of transformation and complexity, with interaction of the subject with the environment through its normative character (normativity), and which responds to natural adversities. It is concluded that the construction of the conceptual map not only organized and synthesized knowledge in a visual way, but also functioned as an effective pedagogical tool to foster critical thinking about scientific knowledge and its ethical implications in the health area.