Handbook of Analytic Philosophy of Medicine (Philosophy and Medicine)

Medical practice is practiced morality, and clinical research belongs to normative ethics. The present book elucidates and advances this thesis by: 1. analyzing the structure of medical language, knowledge, and theories; 2. inquiring into the foundations of the clinical encounter; 3. introducing the logic and methodology of clinical decision-making; 4. suggesting comprehensive theories of organism, life, and psyche; of health, illness, and disease; of etiology, diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, and therapy; and 5. investigating the moral and metaphysical issues central to medical practice and research. Front Matter....Pages i-xxxii Front Matter....Pages 9-9 The Epistemic Impact of Medical Language....Pages 11-28 The Syntax and Semantics of Medical Language....Pages 29-50 The Pragmatics of Medical Language....Pages 51-56 Varieties of Medical Concepts....Pages 57-80 Fundamentals of Medical Concept Formation....Pages 81-106 Front Matter....Pages 107-107 The Patient....Pages 109-272 The Physician....Pages 273-274 Clinical Practice....Pages 275-380 Front Matter....Pages 381-381 The Architecture of Medical Knowledge....Pages 383-442 Types of Medical Knowledge....Pages 443-458 The Semantics and Pragmatics of Medical Knowledge....Pages 459-530 Technoconstructivism....Pages 531-551 Front Matter....Pages 553-553 Morality, Ethics, and Deontics....Pages 555-565 Disease as a Deontic Construct....Pages 567-575 Medicine is a Deontic Discipline....Pages 577-583 Front Matter....Pages 585-585 Logic in Medicine....Pages 587-673 The Logic of Medicine....Pages 675-681 Front Matter....Pages 683-683 On What There Are....Pages 685-710 Medical Ontology....Pages 711-756 On Medical Truth....Pages 757-762 Front Matter....Pages 683-683 On the Nature of Medicine....Pages 763-786 Front Matter....Pages 787-787 Science, Medicine, and Rationality....Pages 789-806 Perspectivism....Pages 807-814 The Doubter....Pages 815-817 Front Matter....Pages 819-819 Classical Sets....Pages 821-844 Classical Logic....Pages 845-906 Modal Extensions of Classical Logic....Pages 907-958 Non-Classical Logics....Pages 959-968 Probability Logic....Pages 969-992 Fuzzy Logic....Pages 993-1041 Back Matter....Pages 1043-1133 Introduction -- Pt. 1. The Language Of Medicine. -- The Epistemic Impact Of Medical Language -- The Syntax And Semantics Of Medical Language -- The Pragmatics Of Medical Language -- Varieties Of Medical Concepts -- Fundamentals Of Medical Concept Formation -- Pt. 2. Medical Praxiology. -- The Physician -- Clinical Practice -- Pt. 3. Medical Epistemology. -- The Architecture Of Medical Knowledge -- Types Of Medical Knowledge -- The Semantics And Pragmatics Of Medical Knowledge -- Technoconstructivism -- Pt. 4. Medical Deontics. -- Morality, Ethics, And Deontics -- Disease As A Deontic Construct -- Medicine Is A Deontic Discipline -- Pt. 5. Medical Logic. -- Logic In Medicine -- The Logic Of Medicine -- Pt. 6. Medical Metaphysics. -- On What There Are -- Medical Ontology -- On Medical Truth -- On The Nature Of Medicine -- Pt. 7. Epilog. -- Science, Medicine, And Rationality -- Perspectivism -- The Doubter -- Pt. 8. Logical Fundamentals. -- Classical Sets -- Classical Logic -- Modal Extensions Of Classical Logic -- Non-classical Logics -- Probability Logic -- Fuzzy Logic. By Kazem Sadegh-zadeh. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book elucidates and advances the thesis that clinical medicine is practiced morality, and clinical research belongs to normative ethics. Covers the structure of medical language, the clinical encounter and clinical decision-making and other vital issues.