Causes of disease and causes of death

Journal/Book: Continuity Change. 1997; 12: 40 West 20TH Street, New York, NY 10011-4211. Cambridge Univ Press. 189.

Abstract: In the early nineteenth century, the causes of disease and the causes of death that physicians identified were both sufficient causes of particular events. By the end of the century, physicians were no longer interested in sufficient causes of individual disease episodes - instead they sought necessary causes that were shared by all cases of each particular disease. However, there was no parallel change in causes of death; even today, the causes of death we identify are sufficient causes of particular events. Why are causes of disease no longer similar to causes of death?

Note: Article Carter KC, Brigham Young Univ, Dept Philosophy, Provo,UT 84602 USA

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