Health as a scientific object and a theme for life

Abstract

In order to conduct a pre l i m i n a ry evaluation of the conditions allowing for a Ge n e ra l T h e o ry of He a l t h , the author ex p l o res two important structural dimensions of the scientific health f i e l d : the socio-anthropological dimension and the epistemological dimension. As a pre l i m i n a ry semantic fra m ew o rk , he adopts the following definitions in English and Po rtuguese for two series of meanings: disease = p a t o l o g i a, d i s o rder = t ra n s t o rn o, illness = e n f e rm i d a d e, sickness = d o e n ç a, and malady = m o l é s t i a. He begins by discussing some sociological theories and biomedical concepts of health-disease, w h i c h , despite their limitations, can be used as a point of depart u re for this undert a k i n g ,g i ven the dialectical and multidimensional nature of the disease-illness-sickness complex (DIS). Se c o n d , he presents and evaluates some underlying socio-anthro p o l o g i c a l theories of disease, taking advantage of the opportunity to highlight the semeiologic treatment of health-disease through the theory of "s i g n s , m e a n i n g s , and health pra c t i c e s". T h i rd , he analyze s s e ve ral epistemological issues relating to the Health theme, seeking to justify its status as a scientific object. Fi n a l l y, the author focuses the discussion on a proposal to systematize various health concepts as an initial stage for the theoretical construction of the Collective Health field.