Truth--and tradition

[Guest guest]

Jason,

 

I think that it's important to step back and realize that we humans are

limited by our senses, our perceptions, and as such any " truth " the we determine

can only be a relative or limited truth. There is a talmudic teaching that

there are 70 faces to truth, and each is equally valid! How can it be that

seemingly contradictory approaches can each be right or the truth? That I

explain in two ways: one, there are times when we need to have the humility to

accept that there is knowledge that is beyond our comprehension, and we can

never acquire it. Imagine trying to explain to a person who is blind and who

has never seen what the color red looks like. It's impossible; it's beyond

their scope! So too, our pursuit of truth is limited by the tools we have at

our disposal. Second, because we don't understand a self-contained tradition,

doesn't invalidate it, as long as it is indeed a genuine tradition--not some

made up expression of ego. The key is that within its defined

conditions and rules there is integrity and consistancy. And as it is

self-contained, it is a fallacious assumption to apply its definitions,

principles or conclusions to any other system. It may work sometimes, but it is

disingenuous reduction to discount it if it doesn't always work.

 

respectfully,

 

Yehuda

 

wrote:

Z'ev,

 

I thought you might disagree. I also somewhat disagree with my statements.

Meaning I also think pathomechanism are gems. But I would like to hear more

about how they are " tools to help people heal. "

 

And do you think there is any inherent truth in a pathomechanism? Any time I

see multiple doctors explaining the same phenomenon with different

pathomechanisms I have to wonder how truthful any of them are. That is why I

believe they are all useful and at the same time all just a story. Is there

value in having multiple pathomechanisms to explain a single situation.

(i.e. yinfire). ???

 

How do people conceptualize the value of pathomechanisms?

 

-Jason

 

_____

 

 

On Behalf Of

Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:22 AM

 

Re: Re: seizures and parkinsonism: an update on my wife

 

Jason,

I respectfully disagree. Pathomechanisms in my mind are gems.

They are conceptual indeed, but they are tools to help people and

alleviate their suffering. We are creatures of mind (and body), and

designed to interpret the universe through the tools we are given to

do so.

 

 

On Jun 27, 2007, at 7:53 PM, wrote:

 

>

> But IMO essentially any pathomechanism (explanation) is pretty much

> BS. It

> is a theatrical construct made up by the Human mind using the TCM

> framework.

> Now don't get me wrong, I DO think that pathomechanisms are helpful

> and I

> think in these terms often, but I try to stay realistic to what

> they really

> are and how they really help us.

 

 

Chair, Department of Herbal Medicine

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine

San Diego, Ca. 92122