Random Reflections on Science, Technique and Art, Applied to Medicine and Medical Informatics^[1]

 

¹ The reflections in this article were generated by a question raised by Jan van Bemmel: Medical Informatics, Art or Science?, in a paper which he wrote for this journal [1], and for which I was requested to write an editorial commentary. As I was pressed by time, and by another demand to deliver a lecture at the “Journées Francophones d’Informatique Médicale” (June 6–7, 1996), I proposed to Jan to mix the two endeavors. He agreed, provided that the present paper would be published in English. Of course the following paper cannot appear as a direct comment on Jan’s paper, which was unpublished at the time that the conference took place. Finally, the two papers (Jan’s and mine) are two dissertations on the same topic.

• References

• 1 Van Bemmel JH. Medical Informatics, Art or Science?. Meth Inform Med 1996; 35: 157-72.
• 2 Robert P. Dictonnaire Alphabétique et Analogique de la Langue Française. Société du Nouveau Littré; Paris: 1970
• 3 Comte A. Cours de Philosophie Positive. Paris: 1830. to 1842
• 4 Berg M. Rationalizing Medical Work, Decision Support Techniques and Medical Practices. (Ph.D. Thesis). University of Maastricht; 1995
• 5 Feinstein AR. Clinical Judgment. Huntington NY: Kruger Publ Comp; 1967
• 6 Weed LL. Medical Records, Medical Education, and Patient Care. Chicago: Yearbook Medical Publ; 1971
• 7 Morin E. La Méthode. Paris: Seuil; 1977. (vol. 1), 1980 (vol. 2).
• 8 Victor N. Oral communication at the Journées Francophones d’informatique Médicale. June 6–7 1996. Paris.:
• 9 Grémy F, Bonnin M. Evaluation of automatic health information systems: what and how?. In: Van Gennip ESJ, Talmon JL. eds. Assessment and Evaluation of Information Technologies in Medicine. Amsterdam: IOS Press; 1995
• 10 Citation from the Gospel according to Matthew. chapter 9 verse 37.