Guest guest Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Rey, I think you're saying something very important here. One of the MOST important problems that I feel that we have as a profession is the lack of a shared set of concepts and terminology with which to discuss intercultural, cultural, paradigm, practice etc. issues. The result of this is that a few individuals develop a way of thinking about things and understanding them, while the vast majority do not. This makes it very difficult for a sustained conversation to develop, or for the profession to advance through the complex issues that relate to different worldviews, systems of thought, etc. The element of discord that we've witnessed in this forum recently has been a good example of this - a bit like people in the ghetto fighting each other, rather than becoming organised and able to represent their needs, cause, grievances, etc. I would suggest that unless the CM profession quite quickly develops a well thought out set of concepts and methodology to deal with the complex intercultural and inter-paradigm issues that exist, we'll not get very far.In fact, we could begin to find things going against us, ultimately unnecessarily. I don't have a lot of time to write about this at the moment, but the various points Rey is making here are important. I would suggest that until every CM college teaches such ideas as an integral part of the curriculum, and until every CM practitioner is able to converse about these issues as competently as they can discuss SP Qi Xu, we're in for a rough time. Wainwright - " rey tiquia " <rey Tuesday, November 18, 2003 5:10 AM Paradigm of local knowledge > > November 18.2003 > > Dear listmembers, > > Ken Rose has thrown a very important , simple-but-complex question to the > discucussion list. His querry was > > " What is a CM paradigm? " > > First of all , let us dissect this question into two by first > clarifying what is 'paradigm ' and what is 'cm' . Paradigm as defined by the > New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (Vol 2 ,1993 p. 2093) as > > " A mode of viewing the world which underlies the theories and > methodology of science > in a particular period of history. " > > The notion of 'paradigm' was also elucidated by Kuhn in his book The > Structure of Scientific Revolution where in he saw the development of > science as a 'revolutionary' process of normal science going out of favour > and then being overtaken by a new mode of science. > > 'CM' of the otherhand is an achronym for 'Chinese Meldicine'. I also > personally see 'CM' in the same breadth as 'TCM " which is the anachronym for > ' traditional Chinese medicine' . I see traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) > as a body of medical knowledge that has emerged and developed over a period > of four millenia . Over these years, it has evolved into and systematized > into a a coherent body of knowledge which includes a method or recognizing > disease phenomena and a variety of therapeutic methods :herbal and food > therapy, acupuncture, tuina, as well as a range of disease preventative > methods like Qigong, Tai Ji Quan , yang sheng or nurturing life. > > In doing Chinese medicine , I am guided by the 'paradigm of local > knowledge.' In the first instance,the view that knowledge systems are local > considers practice as the starting point in knowing things. Our knowledge of > things is embedded in our doing, our work and our experiences. > > Secondly, in knowing things, we have to establish their contextuality. > Practice and doing things defines the situation or context of how, where > and why they are done. > > " situations are the organization of perspective and lived > experiences " (Susan Leigh Star, l989 p.15-16) . > > Thirdly, the local context or situations of doing things unifies the > supposed active knower and passive nature into an inseparable but dynamic > whole. Knowing things is not a process of an active knower representing a > passive nature bur rather it involves the forms of life which emerge as we > intervene in nature. > > Once a particular method of doing things or seeing things has been > developed in one locality an used sucessfully in dealing with local > contingencies , it becomes " clotted " as as Susan Leigh Star would describe > it and acquire systemacity and 'coherence " . Thereupon, these sets of > practices(with certain modifications to suit another locality) are > transferred and used to deal with another set of contingencies in a > different locality. This process of sucessfully modifying a local set of > practices to deal with another set of contingencies is called the > " plasticity " of a particular knowledge system. This process according to > Joseph Rouse is the " adaptation of one local knoweldge to create another. " > > The view which sees knowledge as local and embedded in practice is a > critique of the standard representationalist view in science which upholds > the universalizing role of theory in knowedge production. It puts theorizing > as the main activity of value in knowledge production. That is all knowledge > is a mere abstaction of the objective world. Rouse in emphasizing science as > a field of practice said that " action has its own kind of understanding > which cannot be reduced to theoretical representations. " > > I see the practice of bian zheng lun zhi or what we refer to in the CHA > as " pattern differentiation " embodies the paradigm of local knowledge. It > has plasticity, coherence and systemacity. It is a system of knowledge which > is anchored in local conditions. It is a medical practice which emerged and > became systematized from the local health contingencies in ancient China and > then extended in time and space to other locales in China, Japan, Asia, > America and Australia. It is a set of medical practices that " adapt to > different local circumstances to meet the hetorogeneity of the local > requirements of the system .. ..(pasticity) and the capacity... to > incorporate many local circumstances and still retain a recognizable > identity (coherence) [star Susan Leigh l989. p21). > > Regards, > > > Rey Tiquia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Dear Alwin, A couple of days ago I posted to this list and addressed to Emmanuel (which turned out of be his b'day) a translation of the the introductory part of chapter 1 of a the late Qing Dynasty scholar practitioner Tang Zong Hai 's book Quintessences From the Medical Classics Volume 1 ( it is in thread on " Dangerous views " ) . In this piece of translation one can discern the use of the imaginaries (or using Unschuld's words 'Laws of nature' ) of the Yin and Yang, Five Movers ( Wu Xing) and Qi translaformation (Qi hua) to explicate the origins of life or 'living nature'. Regards, Rey Tiquia , " Alwin van Egmond " <@v...> wrote: > --- " rey tiquia " wrote: > > > > " What is a CM paradigm? " > .... > > Paradigm as defined by the > > New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (Vol 2 ,1993 p. 2093) as > > > > " A mode of viewing the world which underlies the theories and > > methodology of science > > in a particular period of history. " > ---------------> > > In his latest book " Was ist Medizin " (What is Medicine) Unschuld > writes that medicine only becomes medicine (by definition of > Unschuld) when it is grounded on and incorporates in its development > laws of nature. Without these laws of nature it remains in the realm > of Healing Art. > > So I would like to extend the question " What is a CM- paradigm? " > with " What are the laws of nature that the Chinese used to base their > medicine on? " > > Maybe I will be able to give an answer about Unschuld's opinion on > this one myself somewhat later, but I have only come to page 34 > yet . > > Alwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 " One of the MOST important problems that I feel that we have as a profession is the lack of a shared set of concepts and terminology with which to discuss intercultural, cultural, paradigm, practice etc. " Dear Wain, I agree with you totally on this matter. In other words, we need to develope a set of shared values as a profession. However, having said that I have to point out that since I d to this list more than a year ago, I have also noticed the accreation and growth of a nascent set of values and the role they are playing in in how we conduct ourselves with one another and in looking at various issues involving our professional practices in various localities in this planet. A recent case in point was the comments made by a r which was regarded by others as inappropriate. Subsequently, apologies were expressed and the matter was solved. In the future, there will be more disputes and misunderstanding . But the important thing is to be 'cool' about them and then be lateral about other people's views. We must not lose our Yin and Yang balance under any circumstances and always be mindful of the broader interests of the profession as a whole. Regards, Rey Tiquia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 << " rey tiquia " <rey@a...> Tue Nov 18, 2003 10:19 am Re: Paradigm of local knowledge " One of the MOST important problems that I feel that we have as a profession is the lack of a shared set of concepts and terminology with which to discuss intercultural, cultural, paradigm, practice etc. " Dear Wain, I agree with you totally on this matter. In other words, we need to develope a set of shared values as a profession. However, having said that I have to point out that since I d to this list more than a year ago, I have also noticed the accreation and growth of a nascent set of values and the role they are playing in in how we conduct ourselves with one another and in looking at various issues involving our professional practices in various localities in this planet. A recent case in point was the comments made by a r which was regarded by others as inappropriate. Subsequently, apologies were expressed and the matter was solved. In the future, there will be more disputes and misunderstanding . But the important thing is to be 'cool' about them and then be lateral about other people's views. We must not lose our Yin and Yang balance under any circumstances and always be mindful of the broader interests of the profession as a whole. Regards, Rey Tiquia>> Dear Rey, I agree with you, and I also acknowledge that there's 'difficulty at the beginning'. It is very important for people to express themselves, air their differences, and even get upset with each other. I think that some of the most 'objectionable' moments in this forum may have been some of the most useful, because people brought things out into the open. Perhaps there's been something of a Wood qi, germinative. Although there has been an apology, the 'jerking off' comment was actually a valuable contribution. So, thanks Alon. Apology accepted and not accepted. One has to remember that one may not like always like the things that are most valuable, or in discourse, agree. Some of my cancer patients have said that cancer was the best thing that ever happened to them. But, as you say, we also have to move on. Whatever differences there are within biomedicine and science, as a whole it presents a powerfully united front. This may partly reflect the tendency of science towards unitary formulations, and the disparate quality of oriental medicine probably reflects heterogeneity and plurality, but in strategic terms, we've really got to make progress in articulating a theoretical position on paradigm and intercultural issues, that can serve us in arenas like research, politics and education, or else... Terminology is an important issue, and formulation of metalevel theories to deal with intercultural and interparadigm issues is another. I believe that the future of CM depends on us getting this together. Wainwright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Hello Rey Thank you for responding and reminding me again of your previous post. I must confess that sometimes I got a bit lost with tying the many reponses together on all the current discussion topics. In gratitude and with best wishes Alwin , " rey tiquia " <rey@a...> wrote: > > > Dear Alwin, > > A couple of days ago I posted to this list and addressed to > Emmanuel (which turned out of be his b'day) a translation of the > the introductory part of chapter 1 of a the late Qing Dynasty > scholar practitioner Tang Zong Hai 's book Quintessences From > the Medical Classics Volume 1 ( it is in thread on " Dangerous > views " ) . > > In this piece of translation one can discern the use of the > imaginaries (or using Unschuld's words 'Laws of nature' ) of the > Yin and Yang, Five Movers ( Wu Xing) and Qi translaformation > (Qi hua) to explicate the origins of life or 'living nature'. > > Regards, > > Rey Tiquia > > > > > > , " Alwin van > Egmond " <@v...> wrote: > > --- " rey tiquia " wrote: > > > > > > " What is a CM paradigm? " > > .... > > > Paradigm as defined by the > > > New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (Vol 2 ,1993 p. 2093) > as > > > > > > " A mode of viewing the world which underlies the theories > and > > > methodology of science > > > in a particular period of history. " > > ---------------> > > > > In his latest book " Was ist Medizin " (What is Medicine) > Unschuld > > writes that medicine only becomes medicine (by definition of > > Unschuld) when it is grounded on and incorporates in its > development > > laws of nature. Without these laws of nature it remains in the > realm > > of Healing Art. > > > > So I would like to extend the question " What is a CM- > paradigm? " > > with " What are the laws of nature that the Chinese used to > base their > > medicine on? " > > > > Maybe I will be able to give an answer about Unschuld's > opinion on > > this one myself somewhat later, but I have only come to page > 34 > > yet . > > > > Alwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Hello Rey --- " rey tiquia " wrote: > > Dear Alwin, > In this piece of translation one can discern the use of the > imaginaries (or using Unschuld's words 'Laws of nature' ) of the > Yin and Yang, Five Movers ( Wu Xing) and Qi transformation > (Qi hua) to explicate the origins of life or 'living nature'. > Rey Tiquia --------------> To these laws of Yin and Yang, Five Movers and Qi transformation, I would also like to add as part of the CM-paradigm: - the theory of the systematic correspondances (macrocosm vs microcosm) - the view that: identical symptoms do not necessarily have the same cause and that different symptoms do not necessarilly have different causes. - the viewpoint that all is interconnected. Any comments? Alwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 --- > > To these laws of Yin and Yang, Five Movers and Qi transformation, I > would also like to add as part of the CM-paradigm: > - the theory of the systematic correspondances (macrocosm vs > microcosm) > - the view that: identical symptoms do not necessarily have the same > cause and that different symptoms do not necessarilly have different > causes. > - the viewpoint that all is interconnected. > Dear Alwin, I absolutely agree with your above additions to the CM-paradigm. Thank you very much. Rey Tiquia .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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