Etiology

Etiology is the study of causation. A literal translation of the word etiology, which is derived from the Greek word aitiologia, translates as “giving a reason for.” The term is most commonly used in medical or philosophical theories and is used to imply “why things occur.” Medically, etiology is seen as the cause of an illness; philosophically, etiology better relates to why things occur or why things are. Scientifically, the study of etiology is crucial, as it reveals the relationship between cause and effect. Knowing a cause of a problem gives researchers the best chance at creating a cure, as opposed to continually managing symptoms. However, discovering causal relationships can be challenging, as reality is often very complex, and purely causal relationships are far less ...