OBJECTIVE:To study the Chinese ancient five-element theory,one of the philosophical foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)theory construction,from the perspective of comtemporary cognitive science,and to rev...OBJECTIVE:To study the Chinese ancient five-element theory,one of the philosophical foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)theory construction,from the perspective of comtemporary cognitive science,and to reveal the important functions of five-element theory in the construction of TCM theory.METHODS:The basic effects of five-element theory in the construction of TCM theory are intensively expounded and proved from the following aspects:embodiment of five-element theory in cognizing the world,quasi axiom of five-element theory in essence,classification thery of family resemblance and deductive inference pattern of five-element theory,and the openness and expansibility of five-element theory.RESULTS:If five-element theory is considered acognitive pattern or cognitive system related to culture,then there should be features of cognitive embodiment in the cognitive system.If five-element theory is regarded as a symbolic system,however,then there should be a quasi-axiom for the system,and inferential deduction.If,however,five-element theory is taken as a theoretical constructive metaphor,then there should be features of opening and expansibility for the metaphor.CONCLUSION:Based on five-element theory,this study provides a cognitive frame for the construction of TCM(a medicine that originated in China,and is characterized by holism and treatment based on pattern identification differentiation)theory with the function of constructing a concept base,thereby implying further research strategies.Useful information may be produced from the creative inferences obtained from the incorporation of five-element theory.展开更多
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the functional structure of human body is composed of five functional subsystems which are based on the five-organs concept, and the relationship between them could be expati...According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the functional structure of human body is composed of five functional subsystems which are based on the five-organs concept, and the relationship between them could be expatiated with Wu-Xing （Five-Elements） theory. Wu-Xing system is taken as our research object. The dynamic model has the characteristic of self-organization. There is only one stable point with local stability in the five-dimensional space. There exists an instability domain in the five-dimensional space. The stability domain is unbounded; it contains some special subdomains, including rectilineal subdomains, ray subdomains and line subdomains. In some ray subdomains, there exists ＂comeback summits＂, the peak value of the comeback summit is comeback threshold. The existence of the comeback threshold means that, if the human body wants to go back to the healthy state from a certain special state which corresponded to the initial conditions located in a domain with comeback summit, it has to get across the comeback threshold. The comeback threshold is the division of the healthy state and the sub-healthy state. Some research work is done to investigate the response of the Wu-Xing dynamic model to the impact stimulation, and results in the decrease of the system＇s comeback threshold. There are 3 manners to achieve this goal, and they tally with the principle of the Wu-Xing system and the experimental rules in clinic.展开更多
OBJECTIVE: The association of spleen system including both spleen and stomach with earth, one of the five elements, is a part of the theory of five elements. Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) used th...OBJECTIVE: The association of spleen system including both spleen and stomach with earth, one of the five elements, is a part of the theory of five elements. Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) used the theory as a reasoning tool to illustrate the Zang-Fu organs' physiological functions and the interaction among them.The exploration of how the theory of that spleen system is associated with earth was created may provide insights into how five-element theory is applied to TCM practice. METHODS: Using analogism as a method to explore the relationship between earth and spleen system inTCM. RESULTS: Chinese ancestors experienced and observed the features of earth from agricultural practice and used the knowledge for the explanation ofspleen system functions including physiological functions, pathological characteristics and for the treatment of related illnesses. CONCLUSION: The theory of the five elements in TCM is a kind of metaphor, which depends on observation and exploration of the natural world and experience of human beings.展开更多
基金Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30973971,No.81173464)Doctoral Fund of the Ministry of Education of China(No.20090013110012)
文摘OBJECTIVE:To study the Chinese ancient five-element theory,one of the philosophical foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)theory construction,from the perspective of comtemporary cognitive science,and to reveal the important functions of five-element theory in the construction of TCM theory.METHODS:The basic effects of five-element theory in the construction of TCM theory are intensively expounded and proved from the following aspects:embodiment of five-element theory in cognizing the world,quasi axiom of five-element theory in essence,classification thery of family resemblance and deductive inference pattern of five-element theory,and the openness and expansibility of five-element theory.RESULTS:If five-element theory is considered acognitive pattern or cognitive system related to culture,then there should be features of cognitive embodiment in the cognitive system.If five-element theory is regarded as a symbolic system,however,then there should be a quasi-axiom for the system,and inferential deduction.If,however,five-element theory is taken as a theoretical constructive metaphor,then there should be features of opening and expansibility for the metaphor.CONCLUSION:Based on five-element theory,this study provides a cognitive frame for the construction of TCM(a medicine that originated in China,and is characterized by holism and treatment based on pattern identification differentiation)theory with the function of constructing a concept base,thereby implying further research strategies.Useful information may be produced from the creative inferences obtained from the incorporation of five-element theory.
基金the Science Foundation of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology(05DZ19745,06DZ19732,064319053,07DZ19722,07DZ19733)the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program,2005CB523306)Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project(B112 and T0302)
文摘According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the functional structure of human body is composed of five functional subsystems which are based on the five-organs concept, and the relationship between them could be expatiated with Wu-Xing （Five-Elements） theory. Wu-Xing system is taken as our research object. The dynamic model has the characteristic of self-organization. There is only one stable point with local stability in the five-dimensional space. There exists an instability domain in the five-dimensional space. The stability domain is unbounded; it contains some special subdomains, including rectilineal subdomains, ray subdomains and line subdomains. In some ray subdomains, there exists ＂comeback summits＂, the peak value of the comeback summit is comeback threshold. The existence of the comeback threshold means that, if the human body wants to go back to the healthy state from a certain special state which corresponded to the initial conditions located in a domain with comeback summit, it has to get across the comeback threshold. The comeback threshold is the division of the healthy state and the sub-healthy state. Some research work is done to investigate the response of the Wu-Xing dynamic model to the impact stimulation, and results in the decrease of the system＇s comeback threshold. There are 3 manners to achieve this goal, and they tally with the principle of the Wu-Xing system and the experimental rules in clinic.
基金Supported by National Science Foundation of China (No.30973971)Ph.D. Programs Foundation of Ministry of Education of China (No. 20090013110012)
文摘OBJECTIVE: The association of spleen system including both spleen and stomach with earth, one of the five elements, is a part of the theory of five elements. Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) used the theory as a reasoning tool to illustrate the Zang-Fu organs' physiological functions and the interaction among them.The exploration of how the theory of that spleen system is associated with earth was created may provide insights into how five-element theory is applied to TCM practice. METHODS: Using analogism as a method to explore the relationship between earth and spleen system inTCM. RESULTS: Chinese ancestors experienced and observed the features of earth from agricultural practice and used the knowledge for the explanation ofspleen system functions including physiological functions, pathological characteristics and for the treatment of related illnesses. CONCLUSION: The theory of the five elements in TCM is a kind of metaphor, which depends on observation and exploration of the natural world and experience of human beings.
