Alternative Health Paradigms

Alternative Health Paradigms

1 . What is the Western scientific paradigm , and what are its implications for health care in the U .S

The Western scientific paradigm is a model for understanding how nature works and developing ways of overcoming problems (Jamison , 1994 . For example , a disease which affects human beings , the exact cause and mechanism by which the disease occurs is nailed down . There is a huge emphasis on research and trials with relation to Western scientific paradigm . Newer ways of treating the disease identified through mechanisms of causation of the

disease are explored . In the western scientific paradigm , education , professionalism and scientific thinking have a very important role to play (Jamison , 1994 . Today the western scientific paradigms may be working successfully in various areas such as epidemiology by which the ways of causation of an infectious disease is understood and means of preventing , treating and diagnosing are determined . However , they do not work well for the management and prevention of chronic diseases as still the mechanism of causation which is complex is still not understood . Besides , today people are over-depending on the western system of medicine as a mean for obtaining a cure from various diseases and other health problems (Longino , 1997 . The Western scientific paradigm consists of 5 concepts including mind-body dualism , mechanical analogy , physical reductionism , definitive regimen and specific causation of a disease . According to the first concept of mind-body dualism , both mind and body are two separate entities which are considered different from a disease...