Sometimes we try to split hairs so finely in chiropractic philosophy that we can lose sight of who we are and what we do. Some years ago a chiropractor took issue with my statement that chiropractors correct vertebral subluxations to enable the innate intelligence of the body to be more fully expressed. His argument was that the innate intelligence is an absolute, always 100%, adapting and striving for homeostasis. I think we are talking about two different situations with regard to the innate intelligence of the body. The first situation is the absolute, that is, the organism is alive or dead. A living organism possesses, manifests or expresses the innate intelligence of the organism whether the organism is one-celled or a human being. Whatever organism we are referring to, as the writer correctly states, is either 100% (living) or 0%(dead). We must not only define our terms in philosophy but we must make sure we use them in the proper context, especially since there are different, but legitimate, ways of explaining innate intelligence. All living organisms possess 100% innate intelligence. We describe this as innate matter expressing innate intelligence as opposed to universal matter expressing universal intelligence(existence). But again, this is confusing because all matter expresses universal intelligence but only when it is viewed from or reduced to the atomic level.
There is also a relative aspect of innate intelligence. As Stephenson says in Principle No. 2, life is the expression of intelligence through matter but there are different levels of that expression. I believe, as others have suggested, that in Principle No. 2, the life talked about is universal life (existence, which is either 100% or 0%) but it is also applicable to innate life. DIS-EASE, which has had various meanings throughout history, to the Palmer philosophy, was a lack of ease or lack of the expression of intelligence (intelligent forces) through the matter. It was not a lack of innate intelligence because the person in a state of DIS-EASE is still alive so it is not an absolute state but a relative state of the organism, expressing less than 100 % life. The intelligence was still 100%, creating 100% force (a perfect innate intelligence is not capable of creating less) but the subluxation reduces the overall expression of that 100% life force to something less than 100% (but more than 0%).
There is one more point to be made. Since the mental impulse is an absolute, that is, either the cell is receiving the exact message from the innate intelligence of the body or it is receiving no message at all but a universal force in the form of a distorted mental impulse, the cell is no longer part of the body. It is in the body but not part of the body much like a cancer cell. The body is in a state of DIS-EASE, less than a perfect (100%) expression of the innate intelligence of the body. The chiropractor restores the relative expression of intelligence through matter- more life. Questions?
It would seem that living is not a principle hence, not absolute. Living is an expression therefore subject to gradients. Gradients of expression determined by the combinations and applications of laws. The Major Premise says ALL Matter expresses Universal Intelligence. Living Matter expresses, in addition to UI not instead of, a more complex organization. That complexity is different for different species and expressed at different levels within a species. Due to the fact that Intelligence and Force cannot be expressed with out Matter, one would have to conclude Life is never 100% absolute.
Steve, who says that a principle cannot involve “non absolutes”? Principle # 6 involves a non absolute, time. Every one of the (33) principles that speaks of matter (#’s 2,3,,4,5,6,10,11,13, et al.) is referring in part or wholly to a non absolute. Principle #5 is correct in theory but as long as we have imperfect matter we will never have the perfection of the Triune (not in this life anyway, but that’s theology not chiropractic philosophy.) Living, as you have accurately pointed out, involves matter that is imperfect in one or more ways but that does not negate the principles. It just means that we are always working with limitations of matter. (Prin.#24)
My point was, Principles can be absolutes expressions cannot. As in your title, Being is an Expression. How about, we are not the laws, we are the product of laws.
One might say the human body is always in a state of Dis-ease, even when free of Subluxation due to the LOM and P.6. There must be a time lag between sensation of environmental change and adaptation.
Joe,
So, expression of universal intelligence = universal life = existence. This applies to all matter from a rock or its very element or molecule right up to the muscle tissue in my arm.
Expression of innate intelligence = innate principle or life principle = what differentiates a living thing from a non living thing (from the chiropractic point of view of course). This is uniquely difference than the common understanding of the difference between lving and dead tissue.
Did I misinterpret anything here?
Also, I chose to use the terms universal life and innate life, yet I understand than ii is a part of and apart from universal intelligence. This is often confusing. What is your view on using universal life to name existence versus innate life for any matter expressing one or any of the signs of life mentioned above?
Thanks and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Merry Christmas to everyone else,…Tom, Dr. Lessard, Steve to name a few 😉
It seems to me that innate intelligence is always expressed at 100%. However, we have labeled the various manifestations of that expression through matter as “good” or “bad” for obvious reasons. Just as we have labeled “living” as “good” and “death” as “bad.”
Chiropractors acknowledge that vertebral subluxation results in that expression manifesting in a manner that is less than what society has deemed optimal, thus we educatedly choose to address it.
Good comment Steve. The only disagreement I would have is that society has “deemed optimal” being without symptoms. Our role as chiropractors is to change that perception to one of manifesting that 100% expression of intelligence through matter. Thank you for you continued efforts in that endeavor.