Philosophy, epidemiology, and cerebral palsy causation

Abstract

In this chapter, I explore ideas from current philosophy of science in the context of cerebral palsy causation. Russo and Williamson suggest that causal claims in the health sciences require both difference-making (statistical) and mechanistic evidence. A recent account offered by Mumford and Anjum conceives of causation as the predisposition toward an effect. I review multiple aspects of this theory that would fit very well with our current concept of cerebral palsy causation. Dupro's theory of biological causation as a biological process is well aligned with the etiological model of causative factors that initiate the pathogenetic mechanism that culminates in clinical disease. Finally, I suggest to integrate the traditional epidemiological list of causal considerations provided by Hill in 1965 with Poston’s recent explanatory coherentist theory.