The Logic of Medicine

By Edmond A. Murphy and Dr. Edmond A. Murphy MD ScD

Book Overview

When first published twenty years ago, The Logic of Medicine presented a new way of thinking about clinical medicine as a scholarly discipline as well as a profession. Since then, advances in research and technology have revolutionized both the practice and theory of medicine. In this new, extensively rewritten edition, Dr. Murphy includes changes to show how these different areas of scholarship may affect details of "the logic of medicine" without compromising its fundamental coherence. New to this edition are discussions of the challenge of the flood of new empirical data, new ideas in genetics, molecular biology, homeostasis, pathogenesis, cancer, aging, and Alzheimer's disease. Murphy also comments on such new theoretical topics as dynamic systems, chaos, and fractals and their impact on the burgeoning fields of philosophy and practice of medicine. Written with medical students in mind, the book includes a glossary, many new examples, and problems for solutions with comments on each. An entirely new chapter deals with modeling. Clinicians and researchers will also find the principles thought-provoking and illuminating.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801855381
• ISBN13: 9780801855382
• Release Date: March 1997
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

How a physician does (or should) reason

This book attempts a simplified, yet complete, account of the most basic concepts of medicine: what is a disease, what is a diagnosis and so forth. Originally it is meant for students of medical schools but it is understandable also for people having a different background, thanks to the numerous examples. It divides the subject in two parts, ontology (what we describe as existent and whether it really exists) and epistemology (which methods and logical concepts decide whether the proposed ontology is or is not correct); clearly it is not easy reading and must be studied rather than read. I found this book a very helpful introduction to the topic and it clarified many concepts that I learned only in a confuse and non-systematic way during my years in the medical school; the extensive bibliography contains good suggestions for further reading