How does the chapter characterize the conception of nursing philosophy in influential American theoretical nursing literature, and how does this conception shape attitudes towards continental philosophy?

Influential American theoretical nursing literature conceives of nursing theory/philosophy as a values manifesto that depicts what nursing should be: an ideal and aspirational vision rather than an empirical description of what is. This preference for futuristic, hope-imbued theory shapes attitudes by favoring continental philosophies that provide normative or ethical guidance, while treating postmodern and post-structural theory, such as Foucault's work, with suspicion because of its moral ambiguity and poor fit with nursing's values.

The chapter traces this conception back to mid-20th-century concerns about nursing's proper role amid social and technological changes. Academic leaders responded by calling for a philosophy of nursing that would define nursing, find its heart, and defend a nurse's proper role. In this influential American literature, a philosophy or theory of nursing is therefore not meant to analyze what is but to proclaim what should be, serving as an ideal vision and values manifesto. This normative, aspirational conception has shaped how continental philosophy is received in nursing discourse. Humanistic and normative continental strands, such as Levinas's ethics or Habermas's communicative rationality, have enjoyed wider recognition and easier acceptance because they align with nursing's values. In contrast, postmodernism and Foucault's work have generated marked reactions against their moral ambiguity, along with suggestions to remedy their perceived shortcomings. The chapter characterizes these responses as a censorship of borrowed ideas designed to ensure their fit with nursing's values, a preference historically traceable in American nursing theoretical discourse.