Stephan S. Lefrak, MD

Professor Emeritus
Director of the Humanities Program in Medicine
slefrak@wustl.edu

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

My major interest at the present time is the Philosophy of Medicine. I am speaking of epistemology, ontology etc. Axiology, which I have spent a great deal of time with, I find intriguing now only as necessary to teach about the philosophy of medicine, especially clinical judgment. I teach a 14 week course on the Danforth campus sponsored by the Philosophy Department on the Philosophy of Clinical Medicine. I have been intimately involved with “ethics” at this medical center but think that without really coming to grip with the foundations and basic methods and concepts of clinical medicine, clinical ethics really lacks what is required to support claims of a discipline.