180412 SE The Philosophy of Epidemiology (2010W)

Epidemiology is the science that studies the distribution and causes of diseases and other health-related events in human populations. It raises a number of interesting philosophical questions. Epidemiology is the central science of public health, so there is a considerable pressure on epidemiologists to get their answers right. But epidemiologists often cannot use experiments, for practical or ethical reasons. This means that epidemiologists must often try to find other ways to collect and interpret evidence. Epidemiology is also unusual because it does not always produce theories, at least, it does not produce the sort of detailed models that other sciences do. This generates interesting philosophical questions about the depth of explanation that needs to be achieved before a claim can be accepted as true. In addition, epidemiology lies at the intersection between natural and social sciences, and between philosophy of science and political philosophy. It shapes medicine, and our ideas of what counts as a disease. This series of seminars will look at some of these questions. (No prior expertise in epidemiology is required.)