Making Medical Knowledge

This is an impressive and important book. It is full of useful examples and case studies from medicine that help to make original points. And many of these points seem to me to be correct: in medicine, there is a plurality of methods, and these methods should be judged on their merits rather than by appealing to a hierarchy of methods. Solomon's historical approach to these issues is a productive way to proceed. It furthers the debate about the strengths and weaknesses of the various methods used in medical research and practice by providing a more complete picture of the relationships between these methods. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the epistemology of medicine or philosophy of science more generally. It is also beautifully written, with clear and informative prose, and concise summaries of the conclusions at regular intervals. * Michael Wilde, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science *
In this accessible, well-written book, Miriam Solomon reviews four interrelated but largely independent methods of medical knowledge production: the consensus conference, evidence-based medicine, translational medicine, and narrative medicine... Solomon's lucid and expert exploration of these four methods of knowledge production provocative and insightful. This book works as a stand-alone assessment of contemporary medical knowledge and as a stimulus for further research. * Stefan Timmermans, Bulletin of the History of Medicine *
Making Medical Knowledge is well written, and Solomon's review of the philosophical arguments behind the ongoing debate about evaluating health technology is clear and insightful ... [a] brilliant book * Michael K. Gusmano, Hastings Center Report *
a fascinating story, and Solomon tells it admirably ... Making Medical Knowledge is a valuable contribution that carefully untangles important epistemic questions in medicine. * Joseph J. Fins, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews Online *
This research aims to break down barriers. . . to overcome the opposition between art and science. . . and thus produce a clearer picture of the particular epistemic situation that characterizes medical knowledge. * Clement Dréano, www.lectures.revues.org *
Miriam Solomon (philosophy, Temple Univ.) has written an excellent work that explores common methods of creating medical knowledge ... The book is part history and part philosophy, and though Solomon succeeds in both areas, the philosophical and analytical discussions interspersed throughout really stand out and help readers unpack the complexities of each topic. The book is well researched, with plentiful references and footnotes, but does not read in a stereotypically dry, academic way. On the contrary, the book is a pleasure to read. Each chapter is organized into manageable sections, and the index is thorough. This is a well-written, well-organized, and well-constructed book, certainly worth the investment for those interested in any aspect of medicine ... Recommended. * M. P. MacEachern, Choice *
[I]t is erudite, informative, provocative, and repays with interest engagement with its clearly written text and the author's long experience with medical and scientific epistemology. It is a superlative reference for anyone seeking to find out about modern medical epistemology. Philosophers of medicine and science, sociologists, and historians of medicine will find it of particular value. * Miles Little, Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal *