Project

Risk Factor Knowledge in Medical Sciences. A Philosophical Analysis of Benefits and Potential Dangers

Code
01J07817
Duration
01 October 2017 → 30 September 2021
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Promotor
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Evolutionary biology
    • General biology
  • Humanities and the arts
    • Theory and methodology of philosophy
    • Philosophy
    • Ethics
    • Other philosophy, ethics and religious studies not elsewhere classified
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Social medical sciences
Keywords
causation concept of disease disease prevention explanation explanatory power risk factor
 
Project description

We investigate different meanings of the notion risk factor in their relation with the concepts of „cause‟ and „disease‟. We examine the explanatory power and importance for prevention of risk factor knowledge in its different meanings. We examine whether/when it can be theoretically justified to interpret risk factors as diseases on their own and whether/when this entails disease mongering.