The Logic of Medicine

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 Alzheimers 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.