The philosophical basis of all Natural Health paradigms and Alternative Medicine is based on three
concepts: Vitalism, Holism, and Variation.
Discussions of Vitalism, Holism, and Variation are often over analyzed to the point of absurdity due
to the scientism of academic reductionism. The concept of Holism should be applied for proper
understanding of these ancient systems which demands integration rather than the disintegrative
force of reductionism.
Vitalism as opposed to the Mechanism of Medical Scientism
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In *all* Natural Health paradigms all healing is essentially self-healing, a basic property of all
living beings. Vitalism is an ancient concept that can be traced back to the 'vis medicatrix
naturae' of Hippocrates (c.460-377BC), the Father of Medicine, who wrote "the natural healing force
within us is the greatest force in getting well."
In *all* Natural Health paradigms Self-Healing is Paramount. The in-built natural healing process is
respected and recruited during treatment, although it is not necessarily understood.
Mechanism (bartleby.commechanism.htmlOpen ↗) is the "philosophical theory about the
nature of organic systems, holding that organisms are machines in the sense that they are material
systems. Mechanism seeks to explain biological processes, including behavior, within the framework
of classical physics and chemistry. The mechanistic approach has caused great controversy and is
considered by its opponents, including vitalists (who contend that living organisms must be
explained in terms of a mysterious self-determining principle rather than in physical or chemical
terms) as inadequate and oversimplified."
Holism as opposed to the Reductionism of Medical Scientism
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In *all* Natural Health paradigms healing is a concerted effort of the entire organism and cannot be
achieved by any part in isolation from the whole. Holism is an ancient concept that can be traced
back to Paracelsus (1439-1541) , the father of modern medicine, who insisted on treating the whole
being rather than merely the part displaying disease. Vitalism aphorisms of Paracelsus include: "The
art of healing comes from Nature, not the physician;" and "A man could not be born alive and healthy
were there not already a Physician hidden in him."
Reductionism (mitpress.mit.eduglossary R.htmlOpen ↗) is "the idea
that nature can be understood by dissection. In other words, knowing the lowest-level details of how
things work (at, say, the level of subatomic physics) reveals how higher-level phenomena come about.
This is a bottom-up way of looking at the universe, and is the exact opposite of holism."
Variation as opposed to the Statistic of Medical Scientism
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Variation means human patients are exceedingly complex and highly variable. Alternative Medicine is
about patent centered treatment which addresses a patient's individual needs as opposed to the
managed care protocol of modern medicine which treats each patient as just a Statistic. Modern
Medicine is about diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms that are to be followed exactly in respect
to a given clinical situation under the very real threat of disciplinary action and even litigation.
Under the protection of methods of modern medicine, if a patient dies that is only a Statistic!
Scientism (webref.orgscientism.htmOpen ↗) is "the belief that there is one and
only one method of science and that it alone confers legitimacy upon the conduct of research."
In Conclusion:
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The proponents of Natural Health paradigms are sorry to inform medical scientism that scientism as a
parody of science is at a standstill despite the best efforts of its many researchers, the fault
lying in their habitual way of looking at illness and doing research. 🙂
The proponents of Natural Health paradigms are further very sorry to inform medical scientism that
there is no simpler, more effective treatment to restore health and peace of mind than the cure
Mother Nature provides through natural living. 🙂
In short, medical scientism is a scam. 🙂
Additional information on Science and Holism can be found at: starcourse.orgpussycat.htmOpen ↗
--
John Gohde, Patient Empowerment Advocate home.naturalhealthperspective.comempowerment.htmlOpen ↗
Email: [email hidden] www.NaturalHealthPerspective.com - Pioneering
De-Medicalization by handing back the power to the people, encouraging self care and autonomy, and
resisting the categorization of life's problems as medical.