The Oneness Theory
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
―Buckminster Fuller
The quality of our human lives has been greatly improved thanks to allopathic Western medicine. However, allopathic medicine is based on reductionism, a worldview limited when facing complex problems. Humans are fundamentally complex, and need a holistic rather than reductionist view.
For example, Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS) cannot be explained from reductionist view. MUPS do not result from a single pathway pathology but results from multiple causes, making them complex. Patients only receive symptom treatments such as painkillers or medication to suppress their immune system. When people are characterized as a MUPS patient, they end up with an endless diagnostic & treatment trajectory.
Towards a new vision in medical sciences
With the use of both reductionism and holism in interdependent health care systems, both acute and chronic diseases could be addressed, and curative as well as preventative medicine could be performed.
A fundamental restructuring in medical sciences integrating both reductionism and holism can enhance our understanding of complexity and improve medical strategies and innovations.
For this reason the Oneness Theory is introduced.
The Oneness Theory
The Oneness Theory consists of a series of three articles written to support the practice of integrative medicine and contribute to a new vision of medical sciences.
The first article analyzes the paradox of reductionism and holism in medical sciences to support the integration in healthcare systems.
The second article introduces such a theory for a new health paradigm, called the Oneness theory, with a framework for health.
The third article applies the framework in the context of culture sensitive care to develop a health model for an integrative healthcare approach.
The Oneness Theory
Creates a broader view on health
Integrates both the reductionist and holist worldview
Provides a framework to deal with complex problems
The Oneness Theory provides a scientific fundament for Integrative Medicine
Original research
‘This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors’.
The author has no competing interests