Abstract

THE ARTICLE GIVES A SKETCH OF A SYSTEMS VIEW IN THEORETICAL PATHOLOGY, I.E., THE MEDICAL THEORY OF ORGANISMS AND THEIR HEALTH DISEASES. THREE MAIN LEVELS OF SYSTEMS ARE DISTINGUISHED WHICH ARE OF RELEVANCE: OBJECTIVE SYSTEMS, SUBJECTIVE SYSTEMS, AND REFLEXIVE SYSTEMS. THIS DISTINCTION IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE POSSIBILITIES OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS. CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CONCEPTIONS OF DISEASE, ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, AND THEIR CRITERIA ARE DISCUSSED.