The Rashomon effect: organization ethics in health care

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Film Studies

Background:

• The 1950 Japanese film Rashomon explores a single incident from multiple, contradictory viewpoints.
• It features an outlaw, a woman, her husband, and a passer-by, each offering a unique narrative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the narrative structure of Rashomon.
• To examine the concept of subjective reality and unreliable narration.
• To discuss the philosophical implications of differing perspectives on truth.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of four distinct testimonies presented in the film.
• Comparison of narrative agreements and discrepancies.
• Examination of the role of the narrator and audience perception.

Main Results:

• All four accounts agree on the basic sequence of events: encounter, sexual act, and death.
• Key details, including consent, perpetrator, and cause of death, vary significantly between narratives.
• The passer-by's account, though seemingly objective, is also subjective and potentially unreliable.

Conclusions:

• Rashomon demonstrates that objective truth can be elusive when filtered through individual perception and memory.
• The film questions the possibility of a single, definitive account of reality.
• Subjectivity and narrative construction play crucial roles in shaping our understanding of events.