Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2022
Abstract
Trust is typically taken to be an essential constituent to the patient/physician relationship. One way that trust can manifest in the context of medical care is in a default attitude; that is, the initial stance of trusting one takes upon entering any given interaction with a medical professional. In this paper, I identify the current default attitude of (dis)trust that certain marginalized groups are justified in taking towards the medical profession, and I explain why this default is not ideal. I then argue for my account of the ideal default attitude of trust, which I call medial trust. I argue that medial trust is the default stance that one should be able to take towards the medical profession. My argument is grounded in the importance of respect for the value of a patient’s own contribution to healthcare- related decisions. This account serves to bring attention to the existing attributes which allow for justified default distrust, and to establish an ideal to which the medical profession can work towards. This work thus ultimately aims to contribute to the imperative of justice and equality for those marginalized in society.