Naturalistic disease theories
Theories within a culture which explain diseases and illnesses in impersonal terms / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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In medical anthropology, naturalistic disease theories are those theories, present within a culture, which explain diseases and illnesses in impersonal terms. George Foster explains naturalistic disease theory as following an "equilibrium model" in which health results from ideal balances of well being appropriate to one's age, condition, and environment. Imbalances in these systems result in illness through impersonal and systematic mechanisms.[1] One example of a naturalistic disease theory is the theory expressed in western medicine or biomedicine, which links disease and illness to scientific causes. This leaves any personal liability for the disease out of the equation, and the diseases are attributed to organisms such as bacteria or viruses, accidents, or toxic substances.
Other cultures have developed different naturalistic disease theories. One specific example lies in Latin cultures, which place "hot" or "cold" classifications on things like food, drink, and environmental conditions. They believe that the combination of hot and cold substances will cause an unbalanced system that leads to disease. Therefore, one is expected not to have a cold drink after taking a hot bath. Other examples of naturalistic disease theory include biomedicine and vitalism. Illnesses not considered to be caused by naturalistic disease theories fall under the category of personalistic disease theory. This theory views illness as a result of a personal direct agent such as a supernatural force, witchcraft, or the evil eye.