Studia Metodologiczne, 2013, nr 30

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Redukcjonistyczne i organicystyczne intuicje w wyjaśnianiu karcynogenezy
(Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM, 2013) Juś, Marcin
Two competing theories of carcinogenesis are functioning in biomedical sciences: the mutation theory (SMT) and the tissue theory (TOFT). The first part of the article presents the basic assumptions of both theories and summarizes the philosophical debate between its proponents. This debate is analyzed in the works of Ch. Malaterre [2007] and J. A. Macrum [2005]. According to these authors, the genetic theory presupposes reductionism and the tissue theory – organicism. The second part of the article analyzes the debate in question in the light of some general views about reduction developed by T. Jones [2004] and K. Paprzycka [2008]. I suggest that from the philosophical point of view we have no reason to think that the reduc-tionist explanation of carcinogenesis is exhaustive or that it is the only appropriate explanation.