There are many world viewpoints that on the surface appear to agree with our chiropractic philosophy, but with closer observation are clearly contrary to straight chiropractic. Some of the philosophy of wholistic health care, quantum healing, Ayurvedic medicine, and New Age thought in general, have some similarities to the chiropractic philosophy. Much of it does not and it is important that the chiropractor understand where those differences are so as to avoid being drawn into an approach or thinking which is largely outside-in, but covered with a thin veneer of ADIO philosophy. One only has to look at the converse in our profession to see that it is entirely possible. Many chiropractors practice a primarily therapeutic, outside-in approach while covering it in philosophical terms such as innate intelligence or subluxation based. That is why it is so important to have a logical, deductive approach. It will magnify the contradictions.
The idea that all aspects of nature are interrelated and interdependent is, to a degree, correct. However, the conclusion drawn, that we are all different, united cells of planet earth living in harmony or capable of living in harmony, is an incorrect conclusion. It is true everything affects everything but to what degree and to what relevance is the issue. While a butterfly flapping its wings on a South Pacific island may ultimately affect the weather patterns in Pennsylvania as the quantum mechanists say, of what importance is it if there is nothing I can do about it. In addition, if I can adapt to that change, then it is of no concern. From a chiropractic philosophical viewpoint, I would not want to affect the butterfly’s activity, not knowing what it will cause. Additionally, I know I have the ability to adapt to whatever changes take place, i.e., put on a coat, get out of the rain, etc. I am not sure what purpose the quantum mechanist has in making such observations and proposing such theories and thinking. If it is only to demonstrate the smallness of the universe and the fact that most of its actions are out of our control, that is fine. However, most mechanistic theories are proposed by people with no vitalistic viewpoint (no innate intelligence, no universal intelligence, no God) with an eye toward themselves intervening in some process that we chiropractors believe is better left untouched by finite man. This thinking is clearly not chiropractic. It, in fact, is part of certain eastern religions that tend to creep into our thinking. Here’s an example of how: We as chiropractors say that germs are not necessarily bad. They are only scavengers feeding upon dead and dying tissue. True. At any given moment we have dying cells in our body, which bacteria feed upon. Another truth. Therefore, they are our friends, brother cells in the body of Mother Nature. Not true. They are not our friends anymore than the Chinese communists are our friends. We can have mutual trade agreements to benefit both nations only as long as we (the U.S.) are militarily strong enough that they (the Chinese communists) realize that they have more to lose by attacking us than to gain and more to gain trading with us than to lose. That does not make us friends, allies, or brothers. It means we can derive benefit from a relationship with them as long as we recognize their potential danger and are prepared to handle it (we have the defenses). Germs function in a similar manner. All they know is what is good for them. They are selfish little buggers caring only for their own well-being. If we have the defenses to keep their numbers in check, we can use them for our benefit (i.e., E. Coli). This also benefits them, a fact that is of no concern to us. Your innate intelligence couldn’t care less about helping to propagate the E. Coli population. But we must never lose sight of the fact that they are the enemy. Our cells and coliform bacteria cells are mortal enemies. We are not all equally cells of the body of Mother Nature.
It is true that all the cells of our body are working together, in harmony (or should be). But that is because we are all a manifestation of the same innate intelligence, which is limited to our matter. The cells of our body never fight or destroy one another in a normal state. Anyone who believes we are all peaceful cohabitants of Mother Earth has only to watch those nature videos about predators. It’s a jungle out there! All of nature is locked in a self-survival battle. That’s not good or bad, except from a particular perspective. It’s good to us when we see the coyote keeping down the rodent population. (It’s bad from the rodent’s perspective). It’s bad when we see a lion bring down a beautiful zebra for dinner. (If you’re a lion, it’s good). I recently watched Jaws with my daughter. The Great White Shark was described as an “eating machine” that wreaked death and destruction. This is not a perfect and harmonious world. Substances have been isolated in fruit and vegetables which we normally eat that are poisonous to us and even considered by scientists to be carcinogenic. They are part of the plants protection against other organisms. Our body is able to make chemicals to neutralize many of these poisons. But the body is limited to what it can make. That is why we do not eat certain members of the plant kingdom. Our chiropractic philosophy recognizes that the lion is not lying down with the lamb. Reading the morning newspaper tells us that swords are not being beaten into plowshares. This is not a perfect world and, of course, much of that imperfection (perhaps all of it) is directly or indirectly the fault of man.
The purpose of the chiropractic adjustment is not to make us one with nature or at peace with all of nature’s creatures, from microbes to Great Whites. The purpose of the adjustment is to enable us to defend ourselves better, be better equipped for battle with every creature out there, most of which care nothing about us and a few of which are out to get us. None of them live solely for our benefit (Golden Retrievers may be the only exception). Here’s the principle: the innate intelligence of the body is selfish. It is a principle related solely to self-preservation. That’s what the innate intelligence of an organism is – a self-preserving, self-perpetuating principle concerned with organizing and reorganizing the matter in which it resides to adapt to the environment. Ayn Rand, in her book The Fountainhead, touches upon this concept and furthers develops it in Atlas Shrugged. She, of course, applies the principle to the educated intelligence, “I will only live for myself.” Whether the principle has validity relative to educated, intelligence is debatable. Educated intelligence does not always mirror innate. But the principle applies to the innate intelligence of an organism. Every organism is living solely for itself. On an innate level we are the enemy or potential enemy of every other organism in the world, including other humans. That is why organ transplants are such a difficult endeavor. (See The Pivot Review 1984-1991 p.73-75) If an eastern religion says differently, that is their prerogative but let’s not allow it into our chiropractic philosophy. It’s okay to espouse a particular belief or philosophy that conflicts with chiropractic philo-sophy if you can live with the inconsistencies in your life. If you need to change your belief system, that’s your business. But don’t change the philosophy to conform to your religious persuasion. If we change the philosophy, even ever so slightly, we destroy the very basis for what we do. V11n2