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Cancer and the Goals of Integration

Plutynski, A (2013) Cancer and the Goals of Integration. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Cancer is not one, but many diseases, and each is a product of a variety of causes acting (and interacting) at distinct temporal and spatial scales, or ‘‘levels’’ in the biological hierarchy. In part because of this diversity of cancer types and causes, there has been a diversity of models, hypotheses, and explanations of carcinogenesis. However, there is one model of carcinogenesis that seems to have survived the diversification of cancer types: the multi-stage model of carcinogenesis. This paper examines the history of the multistage theory, and uses the theory as a case study in the limits and goals of unification as a theoretical virtue, comparing and contrasting it with ‘‘integrative’’ research.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Plutynski, Aaplutyns@wustl.edu
Keywords: cancer, integration, explanation, unification, theory, modeling
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics
General Issues > Explanation
General Issues > Models and Idealization
Depositing User: A Plutynski
Date Deposited: 13 Nov 2018 00:34
Last Modified: 13 Nov 2018 00:34
Item ID: 15305
DOI or Unique Handle: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369848613000332?via%3Dihub
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics
General Issues > Explanation
General Issues > Models and Idealization
Date: 2013
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15305

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