Blog Post #3 Kelli Grimm

When thinking about Descartes’ philosophical theory of mind body dualism, my mind can’t help but jump to its application in medicine (true life of a pre-health student). I think to initially fight the concept of the body and mind being separate entities as scientific academia has shoved down my throat the interwinding connections the mind and the body have on each other, pseudo limbs for example. Science is ~self~ proclaimed as the concrete, factual, real explanation of reality and it is easy to get stuck in the mindset of using these theorized answers as an explanation for the world around us. When I question this scientific reality as Descartes does, I think back to a course I took that examined the history of science. Scientific study did not advance until it became socially acceptable to practice such thought, making it a socially constructed unit. This realization of a scientific reality clouding actual reality clears way for the possibility of mind body separation in my mind.

I have always found myself fascinated with the deviation from conventional medicine, that being holistic medicine. While conventional medicine focuses on alleviating physical symptoms experienced by an individual and is the main medical practice, holistic medicine acknowledges the mind, body, and soul through its prevention and treatment options making it a Cartesian practice. Holistic medicine challenges conventional practice through its focus on the whole person, not just the body, and aims at finding balanced health. Limiting ourselves to solely physical remedies through conventional medicine gives the reigns of reality to science and steers it into the mold of societal reality imposed upon us by a bunch of dead guys. Looking at medicine holistically challenges this mold and creates an alternative reality.