The recent discussion about how we might best evaluate the claims of
various therapies goes to the heart of our daily practice, in my opinion,
and deserves even more of our time and thought than which CPT codes we
might slip by Medicare this month, just to give you an example. Rege has
pointed out that there are several ways of looking at phenomena and I
wouldn't disagree with that. Where we seem to differ is in our estimation
of the worth and validity of each view. I remain convinced that
well-defined techniques of modern scientific investigation, while not the
only way of explaining things, is certainly the best way of doing so.
Characterizing western philosophy with words like "egoism, power, control,
domination, and manipulation" anthropomorphizes an enormous school of
thought and, I feel, unfairly. Certainly there have been those in the West
who behave this way, but these are human traits, not the goal of science
itself. Science, the laws of nature and the mysterious behavior of
dynamical systems don't care what we think, they just are. Our human
failings have no connection to them, nor does our most ardent desire for
goodness. As Douglas White says, human nature is just as prevalent in
Eastern philosophy, and I'm pretty sure the laws of nature are the same
over there. Nature doesn't care who's watching.
My primary concern is the encroachment of thinking that does not include
the respect for scientific method that the method has earned. My remarks
about postmodernism and what it allows us to believe are simply an echo of
what some very bright and thoughtful people have been saying for years. I'd
recommend the book "Consilience" by E.O. White (recently honored in Time
magazine) as an excellent example of what true scientific insight across
numerous disciplines can reveal about what we see and understand. He takes
postmodernism to task throughout the book.
I think that ignoring the stricter admonishments of science leads us toward
a slippery slope, rapidly descending toward pure empiricism (the mother of
worthless anecdote) and the oldest form of "medicine" predating
Hippocrates; supernaturalism. If you don't think so, spend some time
listening to the myofascial release practitioners on their chat line.
Remember, many of these therapists graduated from the same programs as you
and I, and the public presumes that therapists are pretty much alike in
their thinking. I have a wonderful recent example from there involving a
ghost-like apparition rising out of Barnes' book in case anybody's
interested. I've a vivid imagination, but I could never make up the stuff I
read from that community. Most amazing to me is that no one objects.
Barrett L. Dorko, P.T.
<http://barrettdorko.com>
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