Philosophical Problems of Immunology

At the dawn of the computational era, immunology is at a crossroads: Its efforts to frame microbial-host interactions in combative, war-related terms no longer fit the larger picture of immune protection, and its focus on antimicrobial responses barely captures the diverse functions of the immune system, from tissue maintenance to cancer surveillance to development. As the classical view of immune processes becomes increasingly complex, the problem of self, individuality, mind-body interactions, and disease causation have stimulated extensive philosophical comment. Relating these disparate research topics to changing avenues of theoretical studies, philosophy of immunology helps to reframe basic conceptions of the organism from an atomistic, insular entity to one characterized by fluidity, hybridity, and porosity. In addition, highlighting the role of the observer in experimental research, this interdisciplinary field has redefined classical demarcations between science and culture while advancing our understanding of biology as a fundamentally human endeavor.