Reductionism in medical science and practice
Sir,

Beresford’s essay ‘Medical reductionism: lessons from the great philosophers’ is simplistic and sets a dangerous tone for discussing contentious issues affecting everyday medical practice.1 While his argument about a philosophy for medical science will not impact the thinking of working scientists, his statements about evidence-based medicine will be grist for the mills of the know-nothing movement in the USA2 and could embarrass public support for medical science, which is necessary for developing better evidence to inform decision making in everyday practice. On these grounds alone, Beresford’s essay should not go unchallenged.

With regard to the conduct of medical research, Beresford acknowledges that rational analysis yields significant insights into the causes and treatments of disease but warns that this reductionist program oversimplifies the complexity of clinical issues, cannot …