Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Attemptstodefineconceptsandthings datebacktothetimeofAristotle,around 2,400yearsago,whenheproposedthata definitionshouldstatetheessentialnature orbeingofsomething(1).However,this abstractconcept(2–4)maynottranslate welltomedicalpractice,whereprecise definitionsareneededtocommunicateto colleaguesandpatientsandtoconduct epidemiological,clinical,translational,and discoveryresearchinthepresenceofnew evidencebroughtaboutbyscientific progress.SinceAristotle’sinitial discussions,thelast24centurieshave witnessedtheappearanceandevolutionof definitionsofmanythingsthatsurround us,includingdiseases(5).Inmedicine, accurateandprecisedefinitions(nosology) andclassificationofdiseases(taxonomy) allowthinking,speaking,andwritingabout observablephenomenainan understandableandunifiedway.
Celli et al. (Mon,) studied this question.