Darwinian medicine, utilizing the adaptationist program from evolutionary biology, seeks to elucidate the reasons behind individuals' vulnerability to infections and diseases. Unlike Western traditions, this approach does not attempt to ascertain the causes for one person falling ill while another remains in good health.
In contrast to traditional medicine, which focuses on treating diseases after they occur, Darwinian medicine aims to understand the reasons behind individual susceptibility to these ailments. Advocates of this approach argue that by uncovering such information, it would be possible to prevent diseases rather than just treating them later on (Nesse 1996). It is important to note that natural selection plays a significant role in Darwinian medicine. For instance, scientists investigate how natural selection has influenced the development of the human eye and arm, as well as why it hasn't provided protection against conditions like depression
..., cancer, atherosclerosis or nearsightedness.
The Darwinian perspective suggests that genetic variations influence reproductive success, resulting in humans adapting to their environment. Consequently, diseases and illnesses should be assessed based on their effects on physiological function.
The comprehension of natural selection provides scientists with the opportunity to explain various phenomena such as infections, allergies, aging processes, and mental disorders (Shanahan 1999). The Darwinian approach is both innovative and captivating, as it offers new interpretations that can influence our perspective on the body and choices concerning healthcare. One notable example is Darwinian medicine's notion that infection represents a battle between our bodies and viruses, which possess a voracious appetite for consuming us. Consequently, our attempts to escape these infections fail due to the viruses' faster reproduction rate compared to our cells, leadin
to a weakening of our defense mechanisms (Nesse 1996).
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