Rational Trust in Medicine: Autonomy’s Lesser-Known Sibling

Abstract In medicine and life, we often find ourselves epistemically dependent upon others. In these situations, when one must act but cannot adequately evaluate available options, one can still exercise rational agency through rationally trusting others. In this issue, the theme of rational trust runs through several articles from the medical student being inculcated into the morality of medicine, to the patient undergoing an epistemically transformative medical experience, to the clinician who must engage with ever increasing amounts and complexity of medical information. Other important themes in this issue include pluralistic understandings of death determination and the proper role of compassion and understanding in the clinical encounter.