A Bridge between Two Theories: Phenomenological Insights into Health and Illness

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This thesis consists in the critical investigation of two competing theories of health: Christopher Boorse’s biostatistical theory, which takes health to be the efficient functioning of the body’s parts; and Lennart Nordenfelt’s welfare theory,which defines health as the ability of the individual to fulfill her vital goals. It is suggested that the biostatistical theory is not descriptive as Boorse claims, since both function statements and judgements of disease contain evaluative elements. It is also suggested that the welfare theory relies too heavily on an arbitrary definition of happiness that may not be shared by all individuals. Finally, the discussion is augmented with an examination of phenomenological insights into health and disease. These insights are shown to maintain the positive aspects of Boorse’s and Nordenfelt’s theories, and avoid the difficulties raised in the first two chapters. The issue of the disease-status of homosexuality is visited throughout the thesis.