Epistemology. It’s a big philosophical word that addresses the basic question, how do you know something? It’s a huge and complex question in the world of medicine. How do you know one way is better than another? It applies to individuals approaching diagnoses and treatment plans; it applies to doctors seeking advice about specific diseases; and it applies to researchers seeking to guide collective judgment about possible outcomes. This book tackles this problem head-on with an eye towards contemporary issues. It accomplishes its intended goal of bringing these issues to light.

First, I must address expectations. This is a philosophical book about the biomedical research literature. It is not written by a practitioner in the medical system or even a biomedical researcher. It is written by a person of letters who studies the healthcare system. The astute reader will notice some practical gaps in the author’s experience. If that fact poses an issue for a certain reader, that reader should not read this book. I am interested in reading all perspectives on healthcare, so this book interests me.

Solomon hits on the right topics – narrative medicine, translational medicine, personalized medicine (though only to a limited extent), evidence-based medicine, and how consensus is reached in medicine. Each chapter operates as its own autonomous unit, meaning that the entire book need not be read in order for a topic to be understood. In my medical training, I thought about these issues but did not have the time to explore them in depth. It’s nice to get a critique by a skilled mind on these issues. Most doctors are familiar with the quandaries presented here. This book provides a “deep dive” into what makes these issues controversial. It does not stake out a position on the controversy but instead portrays a plurality of voices about the issues. As such, Solomon’s voice can raise important issues that healthcare practitioners can benefit from thinking through. ( )