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Explanatory pluralism in the medical sciences: theory and practice
Leen De Vreese1, Erik Weber, Jeroen Van Bouwel
1Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science, Ghent University, Blandijnberg 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Leen.DeVreese@UGent.be
Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics
|August 20, 2010
Summary
Explanatory pluralism, the idea that multiple explanation types are needed, theoretically applies to medicine. However, current medical research and practice remain overly reductionist, missing valuable non-reductive insights.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Science
- Medical Epistemology
Background:
- Explanatory pluralism posits that optimal scientific explanation varies with the question asked.
- This necessitates multiple forms and levels of explanation for comprehensive understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the theoretical applicability of explanatory pluralism to the medical sciences.
- To assess the extent to which current medical research and practice embody explanatory pluralism.
- To advocate for a more fully explanatory pluralist approach in medicine.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical argumentation regarding explanatory pluralism.
- Analysis of the current state of medical research and practice concerning explanatory approaches.
- Literature review on non-reductive explanations in medicine.
Main Results:
- Explanatory pluralism is theoretically sound for the medical sciences.
- Medical research and practice are not yet fully explanatory pluralist, exhibiting a dominant reductionist methodology.
- There is a growing, yet insufficient, interest in non-reductive explanations within medicine.
Conclusions:
- Medicine could significantly benefit from embracing a fully explanatory pluralist framework.
- Reconsidering current reductionist tendencies is crucial for advancing medical understanding.
- Achieving a balanced application of reductive and non-reductive explanations presents a complex challenge.
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