The Object of Knowledge in Epidemiology. The Dialectic of the Development of Epidemiology

Abstract

In the article, the object of knowledge as one of the key concepts of any science is considered. Examples of understanding of this term at the present stage of the development of epidemiology are given. It is offered to take into account modern views on the epidemiology of infectious and non-communicable diseases to recognize behind them the uniform object of study and to treat it as a sore human body with a further exit to the main subject of knowledge which population morbidity is. Such understanding of an object of knowledge of epidemiology brings together it with such fundamental direction of medicine as pathological physiology. Both of these disciplines are engaged in any diseases (morbid conditions) irrespective of their origin and have identical approaches to their study at the level of generalizations. Fundamental differences take place only for the main subject of studying these sciences which are pathological processes for a pathophysiology and population morbidity for epidemiology. All this according to the principle of unity and conflict of opposites allows to prove the following conclusion. Now historical development of epidemiology in integration with a pathophysiology, promotes forming of higher levels and generalization of this preventive discipline.