Abstract
Abstract : Epidemiology, the science of the determinants of illness in populations, lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework for the metaphysics and epistemology of causation. I offer support for the argument that it is possible, and perhaps even useful, to move from causal inference to etiological explanation in epidemiology. In particular, I show that etiological pluralism is pluralism of causes and of causation, and that it requires the consideration of different kinds of causal and mechanistic evidence. Further, I argue that a process perspective will be helpful when looking at the combined contribution of etiological factors. Finally, I argue that explanatory coherentism appears to be a viable framework for comprehensive etiological explanations.
Ph.D. (Philosophy)