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Interpreting definitions: The problem of interpreting definitions of medical concepts

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Abstract

During the last hundred years medical language has been influenced by scientific and technological progress. As a result uncertainty in medical communication is increasing. This may have serious consequences not only for health care delivery but also for medical science. Disease classification, assessment of the validity of epidemiological investigations and comparison of the results of various investigations are examples of what will become less secure. The purpose of the article is to emphasise a main source of uncertainty — the problem of interpreting definitions. Two issues of interpretation are explored. One concerns the logical status of a statement and the other the function of a statement. It is concluded that the security of medical language can be increased through the elucidation of the logical status and functions of statements making up medical concepts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Society, Linköping University, SE-581 85, Linköping, Sweden

    Per-Erik Liss

  2. Karolinska Institutet, Department of Immunology, Microbiology, Pathology and Infectious Diseases. Division of Clinical and Oral Bacteriology, Huddinge University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden

    Olle Aspevall

  3. Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden

    Olle Aspevall & Urban Forsum

  4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, Sweden

    Daniel Karlsson

Authors
  1. Per-Erik Liss
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  2. Olle Aspevall
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  3. Daniel Karlsson
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  4. Urban Forsum
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Liss, PE., Aspevall, O., Karlsson, D. et al. Interpreting definitions: The problem of interpreting definitions of medical concepts. Med Health Care Philos 7, 137–141 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:MHEP.0000034317.00444.8c

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:MHEP.0000034317.00444.8c

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