Abstract This paper advances a theory of disease as domino dysfunction. It is often argued that diseases are biological dysfunctions. However, a theory of disease as biological dysfunction is complicated by some plausible cases of dysfunction, which seem clearly non-pathological. I argue that pathological conditions are not just dysfunctions but domino dysfunctions, and that domino dysfunctions can be distinguished on principled biological grounds from non-pathological dysfunctions. I then show how this theory can make sense of the problem cases; they are not diseases because they are not domino dysfunctions.

Harriet Fagerberg

Philosophy of Science

自 1934 年成立以来，科学哲学及其赞助社会科学哲学协会一直致力于从科学哲学的不同角度推进研究和自由讨论。该杂志包含散文、讨论文章和书评。

Since its establishment in 1934, the journal "Philosophy of Science" and its sponsoring society for the philosophy of social science have been dedicated to advancing research and free discussion from various perspectives of the philosophy of science. The journal includes essays, discussion articles, and book reviews.

自 1934 年成立以来，《Philosophy of Science》及其赞助的社会科学哲学协会一直致力于从科学哲学的不同角度推动研究和自由讨论。该杂志包含散文、讨论文章和书评。

Category	Quartile
哲学	2
哲学, 科学史与科学哲学	2

A Domino Theory of Disease

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE	1