N 2 (35) 2025. P. 22–31

PHILOSOPHICAL CATEGORIES IN FUNDAMENTAL DEFINITIONS ABOUT HUMAN DISEASE UNDERSTANDING

R. S. Vastyanov

Odesa National Medical University, Odesa, Ukraine

DOI 10.32782/2519-4151-2025-2-4

Introduction. Philosophy and medicine are sciences closely related to each other and both interact in such a subject of study as a person. At all stages of medical science development, a special role belongs to pathological physiology as a science that provides a holistic approach to the patient’s body, the disease, an in-depth study of the mechanism of its occurrence, development and outcome. Knowledge about diseases essence and manifestations is so numerous that the task of their complete analysis and generalization is very difficult to solve. The need for modern methodological ideas is felt during the new methods of diagnosis and treatment rapid development and implementation.

The purpose of the work is to provide both medical and philosophical definition of most important categories in theoretical medicine to improve the understanding of diseases in the history of medicine, the commonality of pathogenetic mechanisms and the unity of approaches to pathogenetically oriented pharmacotherapy of diseases.

Results and their discussion. The main definitions are presented regarding the philosophical component importance understanding in teaching fundamental medical and biological disciplines, especially, pathological physiology, the mandatory consideration of the philosophical approach when integrating the main categories of fundamental and clinical disciplines. The author stressed about significant change in pathophysiology teaching mode during the past 5 years taking into consideration the coronavirus pandemic and full-scale military aggression. The methodology of pathological physiology classes’ reorganization is demonstrated which, in the author’s opinion, will contribute to better mastery of pathophysiological knowledge and students’ general cultural qualities improvement, their greater focus on clinical knowledge and competencies mastering. The philosophical aspect in teaching pathological physiology is that ground that will significantly facilitate the mastery of clinical disciplines, skills and competencies. Additional students’ attention is focused on the philosophical and general medical significance of leading pathophysiological definitions – “disease”, “health”, “nosology”, “pathogenesis”, “sanogenesis” etc.

Conclusions. Thus, an interdisciplinary and supra-subject, complex, holistic vision of the problem of human health in the light of the contradictory realities of the modern world is a necessary condition for its adequate, humanistic solution.

Кey words: pathological physiology, philosophy, philosophical category, health, norm, disease, pathology, teaching, efficiency of knowledge acquisition.

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