Abstract
Evolutionary medicine is the project of applying evolutionary principles, primarily the Darwinian mechanism of natural selection, to issues of health and disease. It is argued that without a proper understanding of the evolutionary heritage of human beings, no ultimately successful account can be made of human wellbeing in a physical and psychological sense. Moreover, an appreciation of evolution is crucial in the successful treating of human ailments.
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This article is based on the final chapter of my forthcoming book, Human Evolution: A Philosophical Introduction, to be published by Cambridge University Press.
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Ruse, M. (2012). Evolutionary Medicine. In: Brinkworth, M., Weinert, F. (eds) Evolution 2.0. The Frontiers Collection. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20496-8_13
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