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A goal-directed approach to disease classification.

Adrian Erasmus¹

¹Department of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Centre for Philosophy of Epidemiology, Medicine and Public Health, Durham University, Durham, UK; Department of Philosophy, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South Africa.

Studies in History and Philosophy of Science

|December 21, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Understanding disease classification is key for medical progress. This study advocates for a pragmatic, goal-directed approach, selecting classification methods based on the specific medical objective.

Keywords:

Disease classification Goals Medical epistemology Pragmatics

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Area of Science:

Medical Informatics
Philosophy of Science

Background:

Disease classification is crucial for communication, diagnosis, and treatment prediction in medicine.
Current classification methods have limitations, necessitating a review of underlying principles.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze prominent disease classification approaches: etiological, symptom-based, and pathophysiological.
To propose and defend a pragmatic, goal-directed framework for disease classification.

Main Methods:

Discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of existing classification methods.
Application of pragmatic philosophy of science to classification practices.

Main Results:

No single classification approach is universally superior.
The optimal classification strategy is contingent upon the specific medical goal.

Conclusions:

A goal-directed approach ensures that classification serves practical medical interests effectively.
The chosen classification method should be determined by the information relevant to the pursued medical objective.