Popper's philosophy for epidemiologists.
This paper discusses the application of Popper's philosophy to epidemiological research, examining in particular the problems of replication without risk of refutation, of mistaking statistical sophistication for deductive inference, and of dealing with causality at a general level. An example is given of a Popperian approach to the test of a causal hypothesis concerning cancer of the cervix.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003075:Coitus; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007585:Jews; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D010684:Philosophy; D012071:Religion and Sex; D012586:Science; D012923:Social Class; D014481:United States; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology