Embodied Technocognition and Truth in Radiology

“Interpretation Re-imagined offers an important contribution to both the fields of hermeneutics and of philosophy of medicine. By applying a hermeneutic approach to medicine, particularly radiology, Jan Friis convincingly shows that interpretation is at the heart of medical practice and shows how interpretation is biologically, contextually, and technologically shaped. The book is a valuable resource for readers interested in theoretical hermeneutics as well as for those that seek to apply the hermeneutic method to medicine.”
—Bas de Boer, University of Twente, The Netherlands.

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.

Jan Kyrre Berg Olsen Friis is an associate professor of philosophy of medical science and technology at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.