Fact - truth can be demonstrated
Truth - not a matter of opinion
Hypothesis - posited as possibly true subject to empirical investigation
Theory - knowledge taken to be true until shown false
Value judgement - held to be true as an attitude to the world but empirical evidence/inference cannot establish truth

Origin of values

• Thick concepts - descriptive and normative
• Thin concepts - moral judgements over facts

Doctor's decisions

• Greater knowledge of medical facts
• Greater accuracy of hypotheses
• Does not necessarily mean doctors make better value judgements
• What is right for the patient partly depends on their values

Validity

• Argument is valid when if the premises are true then the conclusion must be true
• Truth preservation - valid argument need not have a true conclusion

Rapport

• Respect patient dignity and treat as an individual
• Listen
• Work in partnership
• Support