Causality, Probability, and Medicine

Why is understanding causation so important in philosophy and the social sciences? Should causation be defined in terms of probability? Whilst causation plays a major role in theories and concepts of medicine little attempt has been made to connect causation and probability with medicine itself.

Causality, Probability and Philosophy of Medicine is one of the first books to apply philosophical reasoning about causality to important topics and debates in medicine. Donald Gillies provides a thorough introduction to and assessment of competing theories of causality in philosophy, including action-related theories, causality and mechanisms and causality and probability. Throughout the book he applies them to important discoveries and theories within medicine, such as germ theory; anthrax, tuberculosis, and cholera; smoking and heart disease; the first ever RCT designed to test for treatent of tuberculosis; the growing area of philosophy of evidence-based medicine; and philosophy of epedemiology.

This book will be of great interest to students and researchers in philosophy of science and philosophy of medicine, as well as those working in medicine, nursing and related health disciplines where a working knowledge of causality and probability is required.

Donald Gillies is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy of Science and Mathematics at University College London, UK.