Vitalism And Vitalist Philosophy

Vitalism and vitalist philosophy

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Vitalism and vitalist philosophy

Vitalism is considered the central concept in the different traditional health systems. It is

a philosophical doctrine that suggests that living things have some non-physical elements which

distinguish them from the non-living organisms. The concept dates back to the Aristotle’s period

in the 17th century. It further suggests that the doctrine suggests that lives in various

organisms are as a result of some other vital forces which are different from the chemical and

physical effects (Peters 2002, p.32). Another distinction between life and other mechanisms as

suggested by this concept is that life is self-evolving and also self-determining. It is, therefore, an

approach that was used in the traditional health systems to prevent and treat various diseases

through supporting various defined vital forces in an individual living organism. Such vital force

existed in all different bodies regardless of their diverse forms of existence. Therefore, it played

such an important role in treatments in the early days making gain much popularity between the

16th and the 17th centuries.

Vitalism concept is associated with quite a long history in the medical philosophies. Most

of these traditional healing practices suggested that most diseases resulted from imbalances in

the vital forces. Also, when there is depletion in these crucial forces or runs out of balance, a

living organism becomes more vulnerable to diseases meaning that they can easily contract

various diseases as well as infections. Therefore, the mode of treatment practiced by the vitalist

focused on maintaining balance in the vital forces while reinforcing healthy lifestyle practices

accompanied by some non-invasive therapies (Leary 1990, p.144). Therefore, this concept was

somehow different from the modern health systems in various ways. For instance, concerning the

belief of the causes of diseases or the way to the treatment procedures employed in the healing

and prevention of such disorders. This may be the reason that this traditional concept may have

lost relevance for use in the modern ways of handling health issues.

The concept employed numerous healing modalities and thus was not limited to a given

pattern. Being of philosophical nature, the doctrine believed in the guidance of various principles

in the application of their methods and tools of treating and preventing diseases. The healing

practices could be done in an allopathic way or the vitalist way. The diagnosis and the treatment

of diseases under this concept were based on the understanding of the actual nature of a person’s

individuality to the greater totality (Kirschene et al. 200, p.82).

Vitalist philosophy became more popular in the 18th century and held an opposing view

to chemical and physical mechanisms. Such mechanisms believed that different life processes

could only be explained through chemical and biological processes only. However, for the

individuals who adhered to the view of the vitalist philosophy posited that the living objects were

characterized by some different special forces making them distinct from the inanimate (Bennett

2010, p.48). The same biologists who held to the vitalist view further suggested that it was not

possible for the organic compounds to be created from the inorganic compounds. The main

reason for this fact was that there was a vital force missing to facilitate the process. This did not

exist for long and survived for some years until it was disproved by scientists who created

organic compound from inorganic ones. This was done by a scientist called Wohler who

synthesized urea, which is an inorganic compound, from some inorganic elements (Gupta 2000,

p.467). These biologists also discovered that yeast cell contents were capable of causing

fermentation even when the yeast whole cell did not exist.

The relevance of the vitalist philosophy started declining when the biologists started

coming up with proof to counter the evidence raised by the vitalism concept. The concept now

does not hold credibility since most of the individuals have begun viewing the body of any living

organism as a system. They argue that the human body can be broken down into two different

parts and be analyzed by examining the various elements that form it. The ability to proof the

physical and chemical nature of the various vital phenomena has contributed significantly to

vitalism losing prestige in the modern world (Normandin and Wolfe 2013 p.146). However,

despite these facts, the concept has not completely lost significance though it has declined. The

main reason that this doctrine is reputable despite being disproven is that of the role it has played

in the field of health and medicine. Other many concepts have their grounds in this ancient

doctrine.

Relevance to CAM (Chinese and Alternative Medicine) practitioners

Most of the Chinese and alternative medicine practitioners practices derive from the

ancient health systems which were close to the natural and social environments in dealing with

issues. Therefore, vitalist provided the basis to the traditional Chinese medicine which is unique

for being the only medical system in the world based on the vitalist concepts and practices. For

instance, the vitalist believed in the existence of factors beyond biomedical process in their

paradigm. This led to the Chinese Medicine practitioners suggest of a life force, known as “qi,”

which flows throughout the body following certain channels. They believed that it is this force

that maintains the vitality as well as the health of an individual (Bennett 2010, p.47). For this

reason, vitalism is of high relevance to these practitioners for providing the concepts to base their

arguments on.

Secondly, much of the alternative medicine paradigm builds on the vitalism. Its notion of

living organisms possessing some unique qualities has contributed to the development of these

alternative medicines. These practitioners developed a practice by which they address the vital

matter of life when dealing with health problems. However, as they copied from the vitalist

approach, they tend to ignore the materialistic and mechanistic views towards the treatment of

diseases. This habit has earned the Chinese and alternative medicine practitioners much attention

from the public. The shared notion of a living force between the two approaches helps the

modern practitioners to base some their arguments in the ancient methods (Peters 2002, p.33). It,

therefore, helps them to convince those trying to oppose them by basing their evidence from such

old ways as vitalism.

Another relevance provided by the vitalism to CAM is the confidence it has created in

these practitioners in their daily activities. The CAM practitioners believe that the life of an

organism contains a particular element, qi, which is very vital and cannot be explained by the

physical or chemical processes. This is, however, affirmed by the vitalist approach creating more

confidence in the belief of these practitioners (Milgrom 2002, p. 31).. The concept also enables

them to oppose the materialistic view confidently. This trust has seen them continue to thrive in

a world that is full of opposing views especially with the scientific advancements that have

occurred.

Significance of vitalist concerning naturopathy

Naturopathy is an approach that has its basis in the philosophical perspective of that of

the vitalism. It also tends to oppose the arbitrary nature of the human beings. The naturopathic

approach tends to suggest that there is something beyond the various biochemical processes that

gives life to the living organisms. Therefore, just like the vitalist view, it tries to oppose the

mechanistic worldview that argues that the only thing distinguishing the living things and the

non-living ones is only the aspect of the complexity of the systems. The vitalism approach has

provided alternative viewpoints to approach within the context of the modern naturopathy. In

fact, it has helped the naturopathic approach to acknowledge the complexity of the human body

systems without falling into the paradigm of biomedicine. Therefore, the relationship between

the two methods has been very significant to the field of naturopathy. This has been

manifested in both the reasoning and methods of handling treatment (Di Stefano 2006, p.67).

The incorporation of the vitalistic approach to matters relating to health is a very

important concept to the naturopathy which is a modern healing modality. The primary objective

of the naturopathy is helping the body regain some degree of balance. It does this by addressing

the cause of the circumstances other than the symptoms. It is so because the approach does not

look the complexity aspect alone but also the interrelationship between several other factors in

treatment. Naturopathy, just like vitalism, differs with the biomedicine in the mode of therapy

(Milgrom 2002, p. 29). While the previous deal with the cause, biomedicine just works at

alleviating the symptoms. The vitalistic approach introduced the aspect of body balance which

the naturopathy seeks to re-establish when treating diseases. It, however, tends tom oppose the

invasive methods practiced by biomedicine fearing that they may instead interfere further with

the balance (Bennett 2010, p.47). Thus, vitalism is considered the central tenet of the

naturopathic approach and its concept is usually held by naturopathy which tends to oppose the

mechanistic view.

Significance of vitalist about western herbal medicine and nutrition

One of the fundamental differences between the Western herbal medicine and the

botanical medicine provided in the biomedical care is the aspect of vitalism. The western herbal

medicine concept tends to tolerate as well as employ various beliefs suggested by vitalism. The

idea of vitalism introduced a very rich tradition of thought within the philosophy of westerners

which contributed a great deal to the practice of the western herbal medicine (Degregori 2003,

p.37). The different perspectives on the vitalism approach allowed its role in the green practices

in clinical areas by viewing it as a moral position instead of a scientific approach. These aspects

suggested that its views do not need to be proven. Such a perspective developed in vitalism was

of great importance to the herbal practitioners in the western herbal medicine field. These

professionals took their work as just a way of allowing self-healing without much need in

comprehending the remedies of the prescription of the herbal.

The vitalist advocated for the use of healthy lifestyles as a way of healing as well as

prevention of different diseases. Among the recommendations given under this approach was the

use of nutrition as a way of keeping off from diseases. Most of the herbs, however, come from

the diet that people used to ensure healthy lifestyles (Jones 2010, p.211). The importance of the

vitalism to the herbal practitioners was seen in the way they discouraged the need for clinical

intervention in the treatment of diseases. They also advocated for the multi-intervention

treatment which included the use of various herbs as well as changing lifestyle rather than

relying on a single intervention. Since most of the herbalists practiced these methods of

treatment rather than the use of therapeutic substances, their businesses were promoted. This

led to the growth in the p[ the popularity of the western herbal medicines despite competition

from the clinical interventions. For, this reason, Western herbal medicine has continued to show

reliance on vitalism (Kirschene et al. 2000, p.81).

Vitalism is considered an approach that has tried to divert its focus away from the

material way of dealing with life. Instead, it encourages the use of herbs as well as food to

maintain necessary body processes in order. Nourishment, herbs, and appropriate activities are

always given priority in this method trying to address health issues. This has encouraged the

Western herbalists to know the way they can utilize the medicinal foods and herbs in the healing

processes (Normandin and Wolfe 2013, p.145). Most of these in the Western herb medicine

attribute their success to the vitalist approach whose most of the principles are adopted.

Reference List

Bennett, J., 2010. A vitalist stopover on the way to a new materialism. New materialisms.

Ontology, agency and politics, Durham, NC and London, pp.47-69.

Di Stefano, V., 2006. Holism and complementary medicine: origins and principles. Allen &

Unwin.

Degregori, T.(2003). Muck and magic or change and progress: vitalism verses

Hamiltonian matter-of- fact knowledge. Journal of economic issues.37 (1).

Gupta, s. (2000). A victim of truth. Nature. 407-677.

Jones, D.V., 2010. The racial discourses of life philosophy: négritude, vitalism, and modernity.

Columbia University Press. 211-234

Kirschener, M. Gerhart, J. & Mitchison, T. (2000) vitalism.cell .100 (1). Pp 79-88.

Leary, B. (1990). Is vitalism vital? British Homeopathic Journal. 79 (2). 144-116.

Milgrom, L.R., 2002. Vitalism, complexity and the concept of spin. Homeopathy, 91(1), pp.26-

31.

Normandin, S. and Wolfe, C.T. eds., 2013. Vitalism and the scientific image in post-

enlightenment life science, 1800-2010. Dordrecht: Springer.pp.145-148

Peters, D. (2002). Vitalism, holism and homeostatsis the need for a new language of

health and healing. Sacred Space. 3 (3), 30-36

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