Chapter 8 Summary

The chapter begins by explaining that we live in a knowledge society. This kind of society focuses on specific groups of people who have specialized knowledge. No one person can know everything, so instead we rely on experts to help us in the areas with which we are not familiar. The main example given is that of a doctor-patient relationship. The patient relies on the doctor to be professional and cure any ills that the patient would not otherwise have the knowledge to do himself. This example shows how we utilize common sense to find the appropriate help. Obviously, for a medical illness we seek out a medical doctor, not someone with a doctorate in history. Furthermore, we find the appropriate level of medical help that corresponds with the severity of the illness. This is shown by the 'wrist' example, where via a series of questions and answers, the injury can be self-diagnosed and the type of help needed is predetermined. The questions are usually asked by the doctor and answers are given by the patient. In this series that patient usually talks considerably more than the doctor. Furthermore, the doctor may start with an interrogative form, and then move into simple utterances which the patient will still understand as questions. The doctor-patient conversation has even more idiosyncracies when it comes to bad news. The doctor will deliver the news in the perspective-display series which consists of: 1. Doctor's opinion/perspective-display, 2. Patients assessment/thoughts, and 3. Doctor's final diagnosis/prognosis. This method 'beats around the bush' to offset the bad news. The chapter also explains how a doctor transitions from a verbal diagnosis to a physical one. They usually ask permission to examine a certain part of the body, or at the very least make it known that the action taken next will be physical. The patient will then try to cooperate, yet at the same time act disinterested by not staring at the doctor or the problem.