A two-dimensional theory of health

Area of Science:

• Philosophy of Medicine
• Health Theory
• Well-being Studies

Background:

• Critiques Lennart Nordenfelt's holistic health theory, arguing it's relativistic and insufficient.
• Identifies Christopher Boorse's theory as refuted, shifting focus to contemporary health definitions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge Nordenfelt's health theory and propose a novel, two-dimensional alternative.
• To address the limitations of existing health theories, including Nordenfelt's and Boorse's.

Main Methods:

• Develops a new two-dimensional theory of health.
• Defines health as possessing and utilizing culturally typical abilities and experiencing positive internal sensations.

Main Results:

• The proposed theory avoids Nordenfelt's relativistic issues and counter-intuitive results.
• It offers a clearer interpretation of 'ability' and simplifies health measurement.
• The two-dimensional model provides a sufficient account of health, integrating ability and well-being.

Conclusions:

• Nordenfelt's holistic health theory has significant limitations.
• A new two-dimensional theory offers a more robust and measurable definition of health.
• This model integrates functional abilities with subjective well-being for a comprehensive understanding of health.