The Medical Model-Why Psychiatry is a Branch of Medicine

Abstract

With a perspective from evolutionary biology and a view of the philosophy of science as described by Popper, various models of psychiatry are discussed. It is concluded that any satisfactory model must be a synthesis of the biological, psychological and social. It is argued that the concept of diagnosis is the core of the medical model, and that psychiatry is a branch of medicine, and not a social science, because the biological aspect is very important.