Abstract
Many philosophers have reflected on the question what disease is. The first part of this paper reviews several philosophical approaches of the concept of ‘disease’. Some philosophers aim to purify the way this concept is used by developing a prescriptive theory. Others are more interested in an interpretative approach that aims to understand specific historical practices using the concept, as well as how these shift. The second part of the paper investigates, in line with the interpretative approach, to what extent recent pleas for ‘personalized medicine’ shift the way ‘disease’ is conceptualised.
| Translated title of the contribution | Shifting concepts of disease: a review and a diagnosis |
|---|---|
| Original language | Dutch |
| Pages (from-to) | 66-71 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Tijdschrift voor gezondheidszorg en ethiek |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Keywords
- Ontological concept of disease
- Fysiological concept of disease
- Illness
- Personalized medicine
- n/a OA procedure