A new paradigmatic framework for integrative medicine, and its implications for medicine and politics

Schmidt, Josef M. (2025): A new paradigmatic framework for integrative medicine, and its implications for medicine and politics. In: Advances in Integrative Medicine, Bd. 12, Nr. 3, 100526

Abstract

Introduction:

One of the major shortcomings of the discussion concerning integrative medicine is often an insufficient awareness of the peculiarity and multi-dimensionality of the object in question, on the part of critics and advocates alike.

Methods:

Focusing on homeopathy as an example, this paper points out that the essence of this unique concept of healing cannot be wholly understood without a basic knowledge of the dimensions that constitute it.

Results:

The three traditions of thinking on which it is based date back to antiquity, namely: lógos-thinking, hómoion-thinking and iásthai-thinking, i.e. thinking in terms of rationality, similarity and healing.

Discussion:

While modern medicine is, for the most part, driven by reasoning in terms of quantification and generalisation, this at the cost of neglecting the remaining two dimensions, – homeopathy, due to its methodology, finds itself constantly searching to find a balance for all of its constituents.

Conclusions:

This model of a three-dimensional art of healing may serve as a paradigm for integrative medicine to recollect an awareness of its own strength and multi-dimensionality, and, finally, also for medicine and politics in general.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Keywords: Integrative medicine; History of medicine; Theory of medicine; History of knowledge; Philosophy; Homeopathy
• Fakultät: Medizin > Institut für Ethik, Geschichte und Theorie der Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 2212-9596
• Sprache: Englisch