護理的獨特性奠基於照護知識，它來自我們對其本質的瞭解，一如其於經驗中所示。這種目的性的知識不同於科學知識，後者乃效益的導向，而前者則是倫理的導向。經此區分，論證其知識客觀性的工具性功能應建立在照護知識的藝術性格上，而非一般社會科學的解釋。 The identity of nursing is founded on caring knowledge, which is derived from our understanding of its experience-revealed essence. This purposive knowledge differs from scientific knowledge because validity guides the latter and ethics guides the former. Therefore, justifying the objectivity of caring knowledge should be based on the aesthetic character of this knowledge rather than on a general social-science explanation.
