alternative models of the body: opening science to cross-cultural dialogue

Alternate Models of the Body: Opening Science to Cross-Cultural Dialogue

Alternate Models of the Body: Opening Science to Cross-Cultural Dialogue

Neil Theise, MDDepartments of Pathology and Medicine (Digestive Diseases)Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical CenterNew York City

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

neiltheise.com

neiltheise.wordpress.com

Beyond Cell Doctrine Complexity Theory Informs Alternate Models of the Body for Cross-Cultural Dialogue

Theise ND.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009; 1172: 263-9.

Mechanisms of Yogic Practices in Health, Aging, and DiseaseKuntsevich V, Bushcell WC, Theise ND. Mount Sinai J Med. 2010; 77: 559–569.

From the global to the local: possible pathways for the transduction of Indo-Sino-Tibetan cognitive-behavioral practices into site-specific, tissue-regenerative effects.

Bushell WC, Spector NH, Theise ND.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009; 1172: 74-87

Toward a unified field of study: longevity, regeneration, and protection of health through meditation and related practices.

Bushell WC, Theise ND.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009; 1172: 5-19

neiltheise.com

neiltheise.wordpress.com

also: Researchgate, Academia.edu

Cross Cultural Views of Bodies

A Complexity Primer

The Universe as Complex System

Biofields and Boundaries

Cross Cultural Views of Bodies

A Complexity Primer

The Universe as Complex System

Biofields and Boundaries

Cross Cultural Views of Bodies “Western” Biology and Medicine

Cross Cultural Views of Bodies “Western” Biology and Medicine

= “Cell Doctrine”

Cross Cultural Views of Bodies “Western” Biology and Medicine

= “Cell Doctrine” Non-”Western” traditions

Cross Cultural Views of Bodies “Western” Biology and Medicine

= “Cell Doctrine” Non-”Western” traditions

…”nested” bodies

Cross Cultural Views of Bodies

A Complexity Primer

The Universe as Complex System

Biofields and Boundaries

Complex Adaptive Systems:

1Lewin R, Complexity: Life at the Edge of Chaos. 2nd ed. Chicago IL: University of Chicago Press; 2002.

2Johnson S, Emergence. New York NY: Scribner; 2001.

1,2

Complex Adaptive Systems:Interacting individuals that,

if they fulfill 4 criteria,organize themselves from the bottom up,

into larger structures, which appear planned from the top, downward…

Complex Adaptive Systems:Interacting individuals that,

if they fulfill 4 criteria,organize themselves from the bottom up,

into larger structures, which appear planned from the top, downward…

Complex Adaptive Systems:Interacting individuals that,

if they fulfill 4 criteria,organize themselves from the bottom up,

into larger structures, which appear planned from the top, downward…

BUT ARE NOT!

Complex Adaptive Systems:Interacting individuals that,

if they fulfill 4 criteria,organize themselves from the bottom up,

into larger structures, which appear planned from the top, downward…

These structures are referred to as“emergent self-organization”

and are ADAPTIVE.

Complex Adaptive Systems:• Numbers matter

Complex Adaptive Systems:• Numbers matter

• Negative feedback loops

Complex Adaptive Systems:• Numbers matter

• Negative feedback loops

• Interactions are local without global sensing

Complex Adaptive Systems:• Numbers matter

• Negative feedback loops

• Interactions are local without global sensing

• Low level randomness

Complex Adaptive Systems:• Numbers matter

• Negative feedback loops

• Interactions are local without global sensing

• “Quenched disorder”

1Theise ND. Exp Hematology 20032D’Inverno M, Theise ND. BCMD 20043D’Inverno M, Theise ND, Prophet J.

In: Potten C, Wilson J, Clarke R, Renahan A: Tissue stem cells: Biology and applications

Implications of Cell Lineagesas Complex Adaptive Systems

Mass extinctions.

order

disorder“chaos”

disorder“chaos”

complex adaptive

systemsorder

Implications

The price of adaptation,

i.e. of LIFE,

is DEATH

Cross Cultural Views of Bodies

A Complexity Primer

The Universe as Complex System

Biofields and Boundaries

Hierarchies of complex systems…

Theise. Nature, May 2006

Hierarchies of complex systems…

thing vs. phenomena

depends on scale of observation

ChRISTOPHER SWANN

Hierarchies of complex systems…

thing vs. phenomena

depends on scale of observation

Hierarchies of complex systems…

thing vs. phenomena

depends on scale of observation

=> COMPLEMENTARITY

Theise. Nature, May 2006Theise & Kafatos, Complexity, 2013

Complementarity and the Copenhagen InterpretationQuantum phenomena exhibit complementary aspects that are revealed by specific observations, i.e. there are a range of possible states prior to observation and any single observation is unable to capture all aspects of the complete physical situation simultaneously.

Complementarity and the Copenhagen InterpretationQuantum phenomena exhibit complementary aspects that are revealed by specific observations, i.e. there are a range of possible states prior to observation and any single observation is unable to capture all aspects of the complete physical situation simultaneously.

Biological Complementarity

CommunitiesBodiesCells

e.g. cities, cultures, ecosystems, GaiaBodiesCells

CommunitiesBodiesCells

CommunitiesBodiesCells

Biomolecules

Theise ND. Now you see it, now you don’t.Nature, May 2005

“Cell doctrine: modern biology and medicine see the cell as the fundamental building block of livingorganisms, but this concept breaks down at different perspectives and scales.”

CommunitiesBodiesCells

Biomolecules

“The validity of cell doctrine depends on the scale at which the body is observed…

CommunitiesBodiesCells

Biomolecules

“The validity of cell doctrine depends on the scale at which the body is observed. To limit ourselves to the perspective of this model may mean that explications of some bodily phenomena remain outside the capacity of modern biology…

CommunitiesBodiesCells

Biomolecules

“The validity of cell doctrine depends on the scale at which the body is observed. To limit ourselves to the perspective of this model may mean that explications of some bodily phenomena remain outside the capacity of modern biology…

e.g. Acupuncture

CommunitiesBodiesCells

Biomolecules

What kind of models?

for example,2 models from Ancient Greece:

Is the body made of… indivisible subunits or an endlessly divisible fluid

Models of the body are perspective/technique dependent

Look at it this way (cell membranes): the body is made of cells

Look at it that way (organelles): the body is an endlessly divisible fluid

“The validity of cell doctrine depends on the scale at which the body is observed. To limit ourselves to the perspective of this model may mean that explications of some bodily phenomena remain outside the capacity of modern biology. It is perhaps time to dethrone the doctrine of the cell, to allow alternative models of the body for study and exploitation...”

CommunitiesBodiesCells

Biomolecules

Theise. Nature, May 2006Theise & Kafatos, Complexity, 2013

Biological Complementarity

NOT A HIERARCHY…

NOT A HIERARCHY… A HOLARCHY!

CommunitiesBodiesCells

BiomoleculesAtoms

CommunitiesBodiesCells

BiomoleculesAtoms

CommunitiesBodiesCells

BiomoleculesAtoms

CommunitiesBodiesCells

BiomoleculesAtoms

We are walking, talking Earth…

CommunitiesBodiesCells

BiomoleculesAtoms

Subatomic Particles

CommunitiesBodiesCells

BiomoleculesAtoms

Subatomic ParticlesStrings (or whatever)

CommunitiesBodiesCells

BiomoleculesAtoms

Subatomic ParticlesStrings (or whatever)

The Quantum Foam

We don’t live in the universe . . .

. . . we are the universe

Cross Cultural Views of the Body

A Complexity Primer

The Universe as Complex System

Biofields and Boundaries

Boundaries are scale dependent

Theise. Nature, May 2006Theise & Kafatos, Complexity, 2013

disorder“chaos”

order

Macroscopic body

Microscopic body

Nanoscopic body

Quantum body

Macroscopic body

Microscopic body

Nanoscopic body

Quantum body

e.g. physical therapysurgery

e.g. stem cell therapies,probiotics, fecal txp

e.g. molecular medicineantibiotics

e.g. electromagnetics

Macroscopic body

Microscopic body

Nanoscopic body

Quantum body

e.g. yogatai chi

e.g. acupuncture?

e.g. traditional remedies

e.g. “energy” healing?meditation?

Nested Bodies, e.g. coarse, subtle, energy,

etc.

Fundamental Awareness:A framework for integrating science, philosophy and metaphysics

Neil D. Theise, MD Menas Kafatos, PhD

Communicative and Integrative Biology 2016; 3: e115010