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Handbook of the Philosophy of Medicine pp 243–271Cite as

Human Organisms from an Evolutionary Perspective: Its Significance for Medicine

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Abstract

Defenders of evolutionary medicine claim that medical professionals and public health officials would do well to consider the role of evolutionary biology with respect to the teaching, research, and judgments pertaining to medical theory and practice. An integral part of their argument is that the human body should be understood as a bundle of evolutionary compromises. Such an appreciation, which includes a proper understanding of biological function and physiological homeostasis, would provide a crucial perspective regarding the understanding and securing of human health needs currently lacking in the medical arena.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, Indiana University South Bend, 46634-7111, South Bend, IN, USA

    Mahesh Ananth

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  1. Mahesh Ananth
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Correspondence to Mahesh Ananth .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom

    Thomas Schramme

  2. Philosophy, History and Law, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom

    Steven Edwards

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Ananth, M. (2017). Human Organisms from an Evolutionary Perspective: Its Significance for Medicine. In: Schramme, T., Edwards, S. (eds) Handbook of the Philosophy of Medicine. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8688-1_62

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