Principles Behind Definitions of Diseases – a Criticism of the Principle of Disease Mechanism and the Development of a Pragmatic Alternative

@article{Severinsen2001PrinciplesBD,
  title={Principles Behind Definitions of Diseases – a Criticism of the Principle of Disease Mechanism and the Development of a Pragmatic Alternative},
  author={Mari Severinsen},
  journal={Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics},
  year={2001},
  volume={22},
  pages={319-336}
}
  • M. Severinsen
  • Published 1 August 2001
  • Medicine
  • Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics
Many philosophers and medical scientists assume thatdisease categories or entities used to classify concrete cases ofdisease, are often defined by disease mechanisms or causalprocesses. Others suggest that diseases should always be definedin this manner. This paper discusses these standpoints criticallyand concludes that they are untenable, not only when `diseasemechanism' refers to an objective mechanism, but also when`mechanism' refers to a pragmatically demarcated part of thetotal… 
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