Hermeneutics at the Intersection of Medical Technology

This book explores the crucial role of interpretation in medical radiology and beyond, emphasizing its pervasive influence on medical knowledge. Friis examines radiological analysis through hermeneutics, cognition, and visual perception studies. He argues that interpretation is inherently embodied and essential to human action, particularly in radiology, where technology extends vision beyond the human eye’s limits. Yet, interpretation varies among radiologists. Can it be too relative, shaped by subjective factors irrelevant to the task? Attempts to eliminate cognitive bias through psychophysical and cognitivist approaches have failed. Interpretation is an active, context-dependent process, inseparable from human experience. Friis contends that the only solution is to expand cognitive reach through collaborative interpretative practices, integrating diverse perspectives. Radiology, like all medical fields, benefits from shared expertise, where multiple viewpoints refine diagnostic accuracy and mitigate individual bias. By fostering structured cooperation among radiologists, clinicians, interpretative reliability can be strengthened. The key is not to eliminate subjectivity but to harness it constructively through interdisciplinary dialogue, collective reasoning, and continuous knowledge exchange.