A Transdisciplinary Philosophy of Medicine Network
There is metaphysics in science, but not everyone acknowledges this. A recent paper by Fredrik Andersen and Jonas R. Becker Arenhart, published in Metaphilosophy, argues that Physics is no exception and that all successful scientific research presupposes metaphysics. Continue reading “Metaphysics in Science – It’s there whether we like it or not”
It is an exciting spring for the CauseHealth project. In January, we organised the N=1 workshop here at NMBU. And in May and June our partner institutions will host a conference in Nottingham and a one-day symposium in Madrid. Continue reading “CauseHealth events in Nottingham and Madrid”
By Neil Maltby — author of the becomingmorehuman blog, a physiotherapist in the UK, and a CauseHealth collaborator
She seemed straight forward enough on assessment. 45yrs old. Sudden pain onset from a seemingly innocuous movement many years ago. Episodic but progressive back pain since. Almost full range of movement. No significant neurological, inflammatory, vascular or other suspicious signs. One thing did sit in my mind though. It was as I asked her to reach down to the floor. Continue reading “You’re History (Hasta la Vista, baby)”
I’d like to shout out a hearty thank you for the last two weeks’ contributions from the
participants in our January workshop, N=1: Causal Reasoning and Evidence for Clinical Practice! A diverse group of participants has given us a variety of things to think about, compliments to savour, and tough questions to ponder—thank for making February interesting too.
Continue reading “N=1 Reflections Roundup”
Reflection by Stephen Mumford on N=1 
The CauseHealth project is one of the most exciting things in which I’ve been involved. I’m proud to say that I’ve been part of it almost from the start. Continue reading “Metaphysics Matters”
Reflection by Matthew Low on N=1
The CauseHealth meeting in January generated a lively and focussed debate surrounding a number of matters, all pertaining to the challenges of person-centred care. Continue reading “Bridging the gap….”
Reflections by Adam Bjerre on N=1
The CauseHealth workshop at NMBU was a very different kind of workshop than I was used to as a practising and basically mechanistically trained physiotherapist. The gathering was much more abstract, more reflective and still tremendously engaging and relevant. It occurred to me how much the workshop highlighted the problem that still seems to haunt the medical sciences as well as the sciences in general, but the natural sciences in particular: the role of meaning in a material world or more precisely how (local, not global) meaning can be causally efficacious. Continue reading “The role of meaning in (medical) science”
Reflection by Jonathan Fuller on N=1
The final session of the CauseHealth N = 1 workshop explored prediction in medicine; it involved me and Alex Broadbent. Alex previously pointed out that the topic of prediction has scarcely been explored by philosophers, let alone the topic of prediction in epidemiology or medicine. Yet predictions are absolutely crucial for the practice of medicine. Continue reading “Prediction in medicine: philosophical reflections”
Reflection by Chris Worsfold on N=1
What singular question could be more pressing for clinicians today: how do we prepare the way for the return of the P-E-R-S-O-N in contemporary healthcare amidst rife healthcare commodification and the mechanical one-size-fits-all approach that is EBM? Continue reading “Learn to stop worrying and love Evidence Based Medicine”
Reflection by Frank Zenker on N=1
Interesting, stimulating, in fact fun, if passing so very quickly! What struck me most about the n=1 workshop was the insight, itself completely new to me, that causal relations relevant to individual human health might have to be formulated not, or not only, at the micro-biological and the quantum-physical level, but also, and perhaps especially, at the social level Continue reading “Social causes?”
Causality, Complexity and Evidence in Health Sciences 