The Theory of Chinese Medicine ― A Modern Explanation

This trail-blazing book strips Chinese medical theory of the mystique and metaphysical pretentions that too often plague the discipline. It reconstructs the theory as derived from and consistent with empirical observations and clinical findings, in a manner that strikes common ground with biomedical science. Concepts like qi and phlegm and vital organs of the body like the shen (kidney) are interpreted, not as physical entities with defined measurable properties, but as constructs to facilitate the application of models for diagnosis and therapy. Using the approach of the philosophy of science, the author evaluates the epistemic credentials of the classical yin-yang and five-element models and the diagnostic-therapeutic paradigm of Chinese medical syndromes, and suggests how these heuristic models can be subjected to modern clinical trials. Principles governing the use of herbal, acupuncture, tui na and qigong therapies are elucidated using this empirical scientific approach.