Comparative Study Of Methodology Of Traditional Chinese And Western Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of medical science, rooted from the ancient traditional culture of China, by using the yin-yang five elements theory. It has the whole concept as the dominant idea, based on the physiology and pathology of entrails, channels and collaterals meridian, and featured by diagnosis and treatment on the basis of an overall analysis of the illness and the patient's condition. Western medicine is a system of medical science ,originated from the culture of ancient Greece, and was set up and developed in modern times. It is based on anatomy, physiology, pathology, and biology by backing on the scientific knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics ,and using the methods of experiments ,logic and mathematics. TCM and WM illustrate the human body, heath and diseases in two different ways, thus formed the different theory system with distinguishing features. This paper firstly sets forth the elementary methods that TCM and WM adopt. On the basis of this, the paper compares the three sectors in the logical process of the building of traditional Chinese and Western medicine from the angle of methodology of general science. The three sectors is : to obtain the scientific facts, to sort out the scientific facts and to form theories. In the aspect of obtaining the scientific facts, Western medicine stresses more on the experiments since modern times. Its survey stresses on the indirect observation by using the instruments. While TCM nearly has no scientific experiments. Its survey is totally depending on the direct observation. At the same time, TCM uses some non-logos approaches to get facts. In the aspect of arranging the facts, WM lays special emphasis on logical thinking methods, while TCM lays special emphasis on non-logical thinking. In the aspect of forming theories, WM adopts axiomatic ways, while TCM adopts methods of thought models. Therefore, from the methodology of general science, we believe that the chief characteristic of WM is the axiomatic logical deduction adding experimenting system. And the general feature of TCM is the thought model of abstract and analogy adding experience system.Secondly, the paper analyzes their own noumenon theory, indicating the noumenon of TCM is the theory of original qi and the nounmenon of WM is atomism theory. Their differences bring about the fact that WM attaches importanceto analysis and restoration, while TCM pays attention to the whole process. WM is good at explaining function from structure, while TCM is used to grasp function from relationships. This is the origin of the difference of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.Finally, the paper points out that the thought model of abstract and analogy is the reasonable crux of both TCM methodology and the whole TCM theory. It also explains why the TCM theory is a scientific methodology. But it still has defects, so we should have a correct understanding of TCM. We should realize that TCM is a scientific theory and that its state of being scientific is not perfect as well. Only in view of this cognition, the modernization of TCM can develop in the correct directions. We cannot be complacent and conservative as to just hold the heritage tightly. We also cannot be completely westernized to study and illustrate TCM in the way of WM. Both of them will ruin TCM. The correct way is to carry on the reasonable crux of TCM theory, and based on this nucleus to start with the defects of TCM, and then to widely absorb and make use of modern technology including the latest achievements of TCM, thus to set up the system of TCM theory under the background of new times so as to make this treasure of our country shine new countenance.