Main description:

Renowned philosophers and medical ethicists debate and discuss the profoundly important concepts of disease and health. Christopher Boorse begins with an extensive reexamination of his seminal definition of disease as a value-free scientific concept. In responding to all those who criticized this view, which came to be called "naturalism" or "neutralism," Boorse clarifies and updates his landmark ideas on this crucial question. Other distinguished thinkers analyze, develop, and oftentimes defend competing, nonnaturalistic theories of disease. Their combined thoughts review and update an issue of central importance in bioethics today.

Contents:

A Rebuttal on Health, Christopher Boorse. Defining Disease: The Question of Sexual Orientation, Michael Ruse. Malady, K. Danner Clouser, Charles M. Culver, and Bernard Gert. Toward a Pragmatic Theory of Disease, George J. Agich. Defining Disease: Praxis Makes Perfect, John D. Banja. Disease: Definition and Objectivity, Frederiek Kaufman. Disease and Subjectivity, Stan van Hooft. The Concept of Disease in Alternative Medicine, Mark B. Woodhouse.