title: [Historical interpretation and scientific transformation: the hermeneutical task of a critical theory of epidemiology].
abstract: The objective of this work is to discuss the scope of historical issues in an epistemological approach to epidemiology. Considering the contributions to a practical comprehension of science made by Habermas's theory of communicative action and Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics, this study attempts to explore the sense in which a historical point of view redirects the main epistemological questions of epidemiology. In contrast to strictly formal approaches, a historically enhanced epistemology seems to be a more prolific source of reasoning about the striving of epidemiology for scientific axioms. The relevance of historical theoretical improvements to epistemological methods themselves, with regard to emancipatory ideals, is particularly emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Saúde Escola Samuel B. Pessoa, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ayres
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D004813:Epidemiology / Q000266:history*; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D012962:Sociology, Medical
vernacular_title: Interpretação histórica e transformação científica: a tarefa hermenêutica de uma teoria crítica da epidemiologia.