Clark Chilson, PhD
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
University of Pittsburgh

Abstract: Today, meditation—and particularly mindfulness meditation—is seen as an effective intervention for helping treat a wide variety of medical problems such as chronic pain, cardiovascular disease, depression, addiction, and borderline personality disorders. Why has meditation come to be seen as a valid medical practice? Unlike medical studies that try to answer this question based on biological evidence, this talk gives an historical account of how meditation became medicalized to show how social forces, rather than solely scientific ones, influence the practice of medicine.

Continuing medical education credit will be available.

The Center’s Healthcare and Religion Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the Palliative and Supportive Institute, the Department of Religious Studies, and the Jewish Studies Program

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