Abstract

Philosophic inquiry concerned with the concepts of nursing's metaparadigm is vital for the future development of knowledge in the discipline. The nature of the human being is the most central of these concepts. Health, environment, and nursing all achieve their meaning in relation to the human being. ;Reconciliation commonly means the re-establishment of harmonious relationship and occurs within people as well as between people. The idea of reconciliation enfolds both reconciling and alienating processes. Intrapersonal reconciliation was the subject of this philosophic inquiry for nursing intended to illuminate nursing's foundational understanding of the nature of the human being. ;Images of reconciliation were introduced from the disciplines of philosophy, Christian theology, aesthetics and psychology. Discussion of reflective understandings of the images resulted in deepened appreciation of the dynamic meaning of the idea of reconciliation. ;Conclusions reached included the following: A deepened appreciation of the idea of reconciliation will enhance nursing's understanding of the nature of the human being. This understanding has the potential to inform future theory development, practice, research and education for the discipline. A human being is a reconciling being. Persons engaged in nursing have opportunity to act as "ambassadors of reconciliation." ;The work acknowledges and adapts methodology considered appropriate for philosophic inquiry, making an argument for the necessity that nursing research be based on holistic, real experiences of nurse scholars. In addition to the philosophic sources, the inquiry is based on lived experiences of the author, both as a person and as a nurse. ;Preliminary comparisons were made between the philosophic conclusions of this study and philosophic themes found in selected contemporary nursing theories. Suggestions were made concerning the implications of the findings in nursing theory, practice, research and education