Guest guest Posted July 31, 2000 Report Share Posted July 31, 2000 Andrew, you wrote: Chinese medicine terms such as Liver, Deficiency etc, are creatures belonging to the ' " Light " Interesting point about the known and unknown. But I would point out when physicists talk about light, they use a technical jargon that is far beyond lay comprehension. So the problem arises if you think the lay understanding of light is the same as the physicists. Light as described by physicists requires a technical definition to be useful in experiments. Likewise, so do liver and vacuity in TCM. So while the entity may never be completely knowable, they will not convey any useful information at all if they are reduced to their familiar english connotations. It is interesting that you chose the liver organ as an illustration, because the many folks in the field of TCM seem to understand the chinese liver as an organ of detoxification and explain therapies based on this naturopathic interpretation. I have frequently seen poor prescribing excused as a liver detox or healing crisis, concepts which are foreign to TCM. This idea often seems to get transmitted by omission. Meaning by failing to properly define the term, students immediately begin to connote the meaning based on their prior experiences. Also, many fields of inquiry include entities that cannot be known, because they can only known subjectively or indirectly. However, the basis of all subjective knowledge is consensus among experts. This consensus evolves; it is not planned. So we cannot pinpoint the liver in space and time, per se. but we can certainly agree on its functions ad described by TCM theory and history Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 31, 2000 Report Share Posted July 31, 2000 I have frequently > seen poor prescribing excused as a liver detox or healing crisis, > concepts which are foreign to TCM. Yes, yes, yes! I thought this was especially true here in southern California, where everyone and their uncle is some kind of " healer " . I am, by no means, an expert in the field of translation. But I am studying with a Chinese teacher who translates for us in class. When he does so, he gives several meanings to the character, so that we get an idea of the range of meanings. Sometimes he finishes by saying that there is a debate as to what the original author meant, because of the ambiguity of the language. So it isn't just native English speakers who are unclear and who need to study more. Obviously the Chinese have been hashing out these ambiguities for centuries, and I'm sure that - like everywhere else in the world, each new book published on a subject can create a new " expert " ! Toni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 31, 2000 Report Share Posted July 31, 2000 need to study more. Obviously the Chinese have been hashing out these ambiguities for centuries, and I'm sure that - like everywhere else in the world, each new book published on a subject can create a new "expert >>>> that is obvious when you read the various interpretations of the classics by different authors throughout the history of OM. And that is one of the most important points to remember when trying to validate or interpret OM classics as they apply to modern patients AlonChinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services, including board approved online continuing education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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