Perspectives from tomorrow's therapists.

This paper investigates the need for Occupational Therapy to establish a philosophy of its own. Two of the Eleanor CLarke Slagle Lectures, Reilly's of 1961 and Yerxa's of 1966, are examined as being representative of the philosophies of pragmatism and existentialism, respectively. Their philosophical approaches are compared in terms of their relevance to Occupational Therapy. A base is proposed from which a new philosophy could be generated, and a personal philosophy and opinion is stated from a student's point of view.