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Understand the concept of vitalism, the belief in non-physical life forces that differentiate living organisms, and its role in alternative medical philosophies and cell biology. Dive into the historical perception and modern approach to vitalism.
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Vitalism • “Life forces” are active in living organisms. • These “life forces” are different from the mechanisms or physical forces explainable by the laws of chemistry and physics.
Vitalists • Vitalists believe that living organisms are different from non-living things because they contain some non-physical element or they are governed by different principles than that of inanimate objects.
Theory behind Vitalism • That there is some force that makes living things alive • A “vital spark” or energy, which some people call the soul.
Medical Philosophies • The most alternative healing practices believed that diseases are the result of an imbalance in the vital energies which distinguish living from non-living matter.
Modern Vitalism • A holistic approach to the cause and treatment of disease. • Acupuncture • Chiropractic • Homeopathy • Naturopathy
Vitalism in Cells • In the biology of a cell, Vitalism is a proposal which states that life is an emergent process • Life cannot be described by simply understanding a number of chemical processes that occur in the cell.
The Acceptance of Vitalism • 20th century scientists and historians often dismissed Vitalism as basically obsolete and even consider it unscientific. • It is a theory to explain the circumstances in which no physical evidence can be provided.
