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Definition:
Alternative medical treatments take a number of different forms, but a great many of
them share in common a "mystical" or "supernatural" foundation which makes them quite
distinct from traditional, scientific medical practices. Alternative medicines can
also generally be characterized as "philosophy based." They begin from some particular
philosophy about how the world is supposed to work and then structures treatments
based upon those conclusions, regardless of the empirical evidence.
Supernaturalistic medical beliefs are centered upon the idea that forces outside of nature which cannot be measured or observed are fundamentally responsible for human health and that things like biology and chemistry play only secondary role at best. Putting these beliefs into practice requires two fundamental premises: radical empiricism and universal skepticism.
The former, radical empiricism, values knowledge derived from experience, but without the benefit of systematic organization, repeatable tests, falisfiable predictions, and tentative conclusions. All of these are important characteristics of science, because science cannot rely on trial and error alone. Personal, subjective experiences cannot validate a medical treatment, but they are the only path which mysticism really follows.
The latter premise, universal skepticism, ends up being just another excuse for avoiding genuine tests normal in science. The attitude of universal skepticism varies between asserting that nothing can really be known, or that humans' inability to be sure of anything invalidates testing anyway, so why bother? Both positions are self-refuting, and substitute for the rational skepticism necessary when considering new ideas and claims.
A common theme which you will find in a large number of alternative medicine systems is the concept of "balance". It is believed that illness is a sign that is out of balance and that, when balance is restored, health will also be restored. What is out of balance? It might be your energy field, your spine, or even the "humours" from medieval medicine. This quote is typical:
All living things have a "morphic resonance" or vibration. When the body's morphic resonance becomes imbalanced, disease begins. The reason that a particular herb "knows" what body system/organ to heal, is because its specific resonance matches perfectly with and is guided to that system or organ with a matching resonance.
Of course, there is absolutely no evidence that any living thing possess any sort of "morphic resonance," whatever that is, much less that such a "resonance" is responsible for health. It is not uncommon for the "imbalance" to be in something which is only vaguely defined, that is if it is defined at all.
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Related Resources:
What is Alternative Medicine?
There's an awful lot in the news and in society about "alternative medicines" these days. By some estimates, it's an industry doing between $15 and $20 billion annually - and growing! But what is alternative medicine - how does it differ from scientific medicine and why do people use it?Skepticism & Critical Thinking
This is the main index for issues dealing with skepticism, critical thinking, logic and arguments. The first section is Critical Thinking itself - how to think about claims and arguments you hear, how to critique arguments, and how to formulate your own arguments such that they are more likely to be sound and valid. The second section is about Skeptical Investigations - the practical application of the critical thinking skills covered in the first section. Here you will find critiques of things like astrology, alternative medicine, parapsychology, the New Age and more.
