Week 6 Assignments for the Nature of Life

First of all, sorry for blogging late. It was a hectic week last week and I figure rather than just rushing through the assignment, now I can really take the time to absorb the material and present my thoughts.


HOW DO I DISTINGUISH BETWEEN LIVING AND NONLIVING SYSTEMS

According to the Santiago Theory of Cognition, Cognition is the defining factor for distinguishing the living and non-living. Maturana and Varela states that cogition is "the activity involed in the self-generation and self-perpetuation of living systems."
That sounds the same as autopoiesis to me" Also, "any system that can actively sense conditions in its environment and independently react to those conditions is exercising cognition.

To Maurana and Varela, this is why a bacteria is a living being and a rock is not. I thought about the many things that are by this definition "non-living" that seems alive. For example, crystals, a mandala,some artworks, handmade things or food I eat, while they are not autopoiesis systems, they certainly can have a feeling of aliveness to them.

While these objects are not "living", they can absorb energies from living beings. If we are sensitive enough, we can certainly feel the energies absorbed and given out by these non-living objects. For me, that's one of the factors of deciding whether I like a work of art or not--if it has enough Qi and can can draw my mind into a "state of alignment" with the rhythm of the universe's pulse.

Conversely, there are people I know who are so numb to what's going on the world and go through life without reacting to the world with an independent mind. I can barely see them as living at all.


THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE USE OF LANGUAGE AND TOOLS IN CHIMPS

This reminds us that we are not the only species who can use tools or language.

Also, observing how chimps communities use languages and spread knowledge in how to use tools can give us insights in how early humans develop these skills.


CHINESE MEDICINE GAINING RESPECTABILITY IN THE WEST

We live in exciting times when CM is gaining respectability in the west...and the east! It may sound funny, but in places like Hong Kong, which used to be a British colony, CM has been considered an irrational, old-fashioned folk medicine for a long time, esp. by younger generations. It was only in recent years that Hong Kong has CM programs in universities and start to regulate chinese medicine. That's exciting news.
Talking to my family and my "westernized" friends about CM is usually a frustrating experience and I am always subjected to ridicule. However, when I look back at the path that led me to accepting acupuncture, I understand where they are coming from. I never used to give CM much thought. None of my Chinese friends (and family) believe in acupuncture or had much experience with it, even though a few of them use herbs regularly. It was not until my caucasian friends telling me their positive experience with acupuncture that I started became more interested in it.

I can't wait till the day when I can heal people and then maybe my family and chinese friends will believe that CM is valid.
Right now, a lot of grounds in medicine (East & West) are shifting. It is exciting to be participating in this change. At the same time, as an oriental medicine student, I feel tremendous responsibility to learn this medicine well. Because I know that in the future, every time I give a treatment, or even just diiscussing this medicine with people, the experience will make an impression on those who are still doubting our profession.