Paradigm errors in the old biomedical science

Albertas Skurvydas

doi:10.3390/medicina44050046

Abstract

The aim of this article was to review the basic drawbacks of the deterministic and reductionistic thinking in biomedical science and to provide ways for dealing with them. The present paradigm of research in biomedical science has not got rid of the errors of the old science yet, i.e. the errors of absolute determinism and reductionism. These errors restrict the view and thinking of scholars engaged in the studies of complex and dynamic phenomena and mechanisms. Recently, discussions on science paradigm aimed at spreading the new science paradigm that of complex dynamic systems as well as chaos theory are in progress all over the world. It is for the nearest future to show which of the two, the old or the new science, will be the winner. We have come to the main conclusion that deterministic and reductionistic thinking applied in improper way can cause substantial damage rather than prove benefits for biomedicine science.

Highlights

with them. The present paradigm of research in biomedical science has not got rid of the errors of the old science
These errors restrict the view and thinking of scholars engaged in the studies
discussions on science paradigm aimed at spreading the new science paradigm

Summary

Introduction

Įvadas Šiuolaikinis biomedicinos mokslas kol kas yra persmelktas deterministinio ir redukcionistinio mąstymo (požiūrio) (taip vadinamojo senojo mokslo), nepaisant to, kad retkarčiais (tai yra vis dažniau) biomedicinos srities mokslininkai vis labiau remiasi konstruktyvizmo, kritinio racionalizmo, funkcionalizmo ir sudėtingųjų dinaminių sistemų tyrimo paradigmomis ir metodologijomis [1,2,3,4,5]. Mokslas privalo paaiškinti ir tai, kuo jis nėra visiškai tikras. Redukcionistinio mąstymo klaida pasireiškia tikėjimu, kad, norint pažinti, tarkime, žmogaus organizmą, būtina jį „suskaldyti“ į kuo mažesnes dalis (taip vadinamuosius „atominius“ mechanizmus, „plytas“) (pvz., genus), nes, pasak redukcionistų, organizmo visuma – tai „atominių“ mechanizmų suma [13].

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Conclusion