Modern Chiropractic Principles Notes

  Modern Chiropractic Principles

•       Twenty five years of dialogue with chiropractic students and chiropractic colleagues in the process of teaching the Thirty Three Principles, as they are laid down in Stephenson’s Chiropractic Textbook, has revealed many logical inconsistencies, conceptual deficiencies and anachronisms in the 1927 syllogism. Consequently, I am in the process of developing and publishing an updated version of chiropractic’s basic metaphysical model.

•       Modern Chiropractic Principles

•       The main areas of concern addressed by this update include the issues of:

–   The personalization of the concept of UI

–   The issue of a supernatural vs. a natural interpretation of “intelligence” (substance vs. property dualism

–   The role of “information” as the immaterial component of any and all forces, and

–   The conceptualization of the body’s innate intelligence as the “consciousness of the whole”

•       Modern Chiropractic Principles

•       With these issues addressed and integrated into the syllogism, we are able to streamline the logical argument and produce a more focused, less redundant set of conceptual steps starting with the same basic assumption (the Major Premise) and still arriving at the final logical conclusion that vertebral subluxation has the potential to disrupt the coordination and/or adaptability, and thus the health of any living vertebrate

•       Modern Chiropractic Principles

•       One possible iteration of this logical syllogism follows, and will serve as our outline and springboard for discussion of the basic chiropractic paradigm of the expression of intelligence through matter as organizational integrity, via the interface function of energy-mediated communication.

•       The Universal Principles

•      The first 11principles outline the concept of a self-conscious universe, define and characterize its ability to self-organize, and establish the relationship between its organizing consciousness and the matter of which the universe is composed. These are called the universal principles.

•      Universal Principles
Self-organizational Consciousness

•      1.            The universe exists as a single, dynamic interconnected structure of matter and energy, which has an inherent ability to self-organize. …

•      Universal Principles
Self-organizational Consciousness

•      1.            …This implies that the universe possesses a non-physical “consciousness” of itself as a self- organizing system, …

•      Universal Principles
Self-organizational Consciousness

•      1.            (cont.) …as well as the means necessary to express this consciousness through the continuous creation and recreation of its own organization.

•       Symbol of Unity through Duality

•         The fundamental duality is between immaterial consciousness and physical substance

•         The sinusoidal  inter-face emphasizes their interaction, rather than their separation

•         The contrasting dot in each field indicates their interdependence – each is necessary for the other to exist

•      Universal Principles
Self-organizational Consciousness

•      1.            (cont.) Traditionally, this self-organizational consciousness has been called the universe’s universal intelligence. (Principle 1)

•         Principle 1 – There is a universal intelligence in all matter, continuously giving to it all its properties and actions, thus maintaining it in existence and giving this intelligence its expression.

•      The “Naturalness” of a Universal Consciousness

•       The Epistemological Problem of

•       Material Science,

•       Natural Philosophy and

•       Meta-Natural  Faith

•       Principle 1

         The universe exists as a single, dynamic interconnected structure of matter and energy, which has an inherent ability to self-organize. This implies that the universe possesses a non-physical “consciousness” of itself as a self- organizing system, …

•       The Context of Principle 1

§  Presupposes the existence of the “natural universe”

§  Establishes an immaterial/material duality within the unity of existence

§  Establishes a mutual interdependence between consciousness and “substance”

§  Doesn’t address the question of the origin of existence (the “natural vs. spiritual” duality)

•       Natural vs. “Not Natural”

•       Three different meanings of the term “natural”

•       Cultural: natural vs. artificial

–     Natural – unaltered by human manipulation

–    Artificial – a product of human manipulation

•       Scientific: natural vs. supernatural

–    Natural – explainable within the current scientific paradigm

–    Supernatural – inexplicable in the current scientific paradigm

•       Philosophic: natural vs. meta-natural (spiritual)

–    Natural – part of the universe per se (as it exists in and of itself)

–    Meta-natural (spiritual) = apart from the universe per se, existing beyond its confines, limitations, natural laws

•       The Problem:
Is universal intelligence natural?

•       Assumption of a universal consciousness often mis-interpreted as a meta-natural (spiritual) assumption

–   Immaterial – can’t be measured/assessed/validated scientifically

–   Organizing principle/consciousness – assumed to be the same thing as the creator of the universe (God)

–   “Infinite, perfect intelligence” – assumed to be beyond the capacity of the natural world

–   These assumptions reinforced by DD’s, BJ’s and Stephenson’s lack of philosophic clarity

•       Stephenson’s Confusion

•       Stephenson’s problematic definition of universal intelligence

         “The Infinite Intelligence pervading all space and matter, which creates and governs all things, both material and immaterial.”

                        Chiropractic Text Book, Article 49, p.17

•       Two difficulties in this definition

–   Uses “the Infinite Intelligence” to define intelligence

–   If it “…creates… all things, both material and immaterial,” it creates itself!

•       Stephenson’s Confusion

•       Stephenson goes on to deduce that “Universal Intelligence” is God:

–   “It occupies all space and distance. It has existed always. It is older, wiser, greater, stronger and better than anything in the universe. It created everything and must have been first and infinitely superior in  order to do it. It must have been and is very intelligent to do it. Having these virtues it must never have made a mistake and therefore is always right. Being always right is always good. Being infinitely good is God.”

                        Chiropractic Textbook, Article 49, p.17

•       Stephenson’s Contradiction

•       But Stephenson contradicts his own argument:

–   “Chiropractic is a philosophy, science and art of things natural…” Chiropractic Textbook, Article 2, p. xiii

•       And does so again:

–   “The student should not make the mistake of believing that Chiropractic Philosophy is a sort of psychology, telepathy, occultism, or the classic philosophy of Socrates and Plato. It is not theology.”  Chiropractic Textbook, Article 21, p. xxvi

•       A Comparison

•       If chiropractic philosophy posits the existence of a universal conscious, and religion is founded on faith in the existence of God, doesn’t this make them the same thing?

–   Not a simple “yes/no” question

–   Can only be answered in terms of what you believe “God” is and what chiropractic philosophy suggests/assumes “universal consciousness” is

–   A “compare and contrast” exercise may help

•       God / Universal  Consciousness

•       What is “God”

–    An eternal, spiritual “being”

–   Pre-existing creator of the (created) universe

–   Epistemology: religious belief based on faith

•       What is a “universal consciousness”

–   The necessary assumed cause of all organization

–   A feature of the universe, whether it was “created”  (theism) or has simply always existed (atheism)

–   Epistemology: a priori philosophic assumption

•       God is meta-natural

•       “God” exists beyond the natural universe

•       If God created the universe, God:

–  Must have existed before it was created

–  Will still exist after it no longer exists

–  Exists simultaneously within and beyond the universe

–  Is not “subject to natural law”

–  Is not bound by “cause and effect” or “time”

•      “And God created man
in His own image”

•     Divine Intervention

•       Divine intervention in natural law

–   Basic definition of “miracles”

•       Faith healing

–  Based on spiritual faith, not natural law

–  Healing is accomplished based on the patient’s faith, not the healer’s

–  Defies a natural or a scientific explanation

•      The Naturalness of Consciousness

•       A universal consciousness is natural

–   Exists as an immaterial aspect of the universe

•       Natural existence has two basic elements

–   Consciousness (that which can shape substance) simply exists

–    Substance (that which can be shaped by consciousness) simply exists

•     Includes both matter and energy (E=mc²)

–   If the universe “ceases to exist,” both its substance and its conscious cease to exist

•       God / Universal  Consciousness

•       God is considered a “being”

•       He or She may be considered to have:

–   Gender

–   Personality

–   Motives

•       The “consciousness of the universe” is an aspect of being, not a “being” per se

–   It is considered to have no gender, no personality, no motives

•       God / Universal  Consciousness

•       God expects/demands a personal relationship

–   Praise

–   Worship

–   Obedience

–   Acknowledgement

•       Consciousness expects/demands nothing

–   Seeks only expression in the ¥ variety of form

–   Matter may or may not express the forces consciousness creates

•      How might “God” and a “universal consciousness” be related?

•       There are many possible answers; perhaps:

–   The universe’s consciousness is a part of God

–   God created consciousness and matter/energy

–   God/universal consciousness are just two different ways we think about the infinite

–   God/universal consciousness are two different things

–   A universal consciousness exists even if God doesn’t

•       Which one might be correct for you depends on your faith/beliefs, as well as your understanding of chiropractic philosophy

•      What chiropractic philosophy says about this question

•       Chiropractic philosophy actually doesn’t  address this question at all!

•       Its major premise:

–   Concerns the natural universe of matter/energy

–   Doesn’t explore where the universe “comes from”

–   Doesn’t say whether it was created or not

•       Chiropractic’s core “health principle” is natural health from within according to natural law

–   Health is not a miracle, it is a natural birthright

•       Some Necessary Conclusions

•       When the question of the existence of a universal consciousness is considered in light of a person’s belief in God, religion and chiropractic philosophy may overlap each other, without corresponding, yet without necessarily contradicting each other, either.

•       Some Necessary Conclusions

•       In basing chiropractic on a philosophic model of the interaction between the physical and the immaterial, we must avoid the temptation to confuse it with our own personal theology, or to see it as a competitive theology

•       Some Necessary Conclusions

•       While our own personal belief in chiropractic may be based on faith, our philosophical conclusions should be based exclusively on what we can logically deduce from our stated assumptions

•       Thus, we must necessarily posit the concept of the natural character of a universal consciousness, expressed within and through its own natural laws

•       Consider this…

“There is nothing unnatural in this universe, only large gaps in our knowledge of how nature herself works.”

                        Edwin Mitchell, American astronaut

•       Principle 1 (cont.)

         This implies that the universe possesses a non-physical “consciousness” of itself as a self- organizing system, as well as the means necessary to express this consciousness through the continuous creation and recreation of its own organization.

•       A definition of consciousness

•       The ability of an organized thing to be aware of itself, and to respond to its own awareness.

•       Consciousness is assumed to create the specific relationships within an organized system and/or to cause the organized actions of that system in response to its environment.

•      Characteristics of a
universal consciousness

•       All consciousness is:

–   Internal

•     A feature of a specific organized entity

–   Immaterial

•     Neither the matter nor the energy of the system

–   Expressed as self-sustaining organization

•     To be expressed, consciousness must continuously overcome matter’s intrinsic inertia

–   Recognized by its expression

•     If consciousness is the necessary cause of organization, organization is the necessary effect of conscious action

•      Characteristics of a
universal consciousness

§  Consciousness is:

§  Creative

§ It creates organization

§  The active principle of the universe

§ Matter is passive (inertial)

§  Infinite

§  If we assume an infinite universe

§  The causes all properties/actions

§ The properties/actions of an organized system are the expressions (motions) of its organization (form)

•      Universal Principles
The Uniformity of Consciousness

•      2.            This self-organizational consciousness is continuously active throughout the whole universe, and equally active in any and all parts of the universe. (Principle 5)

•         Principle 5 – Force is manifested as organization in matter; all matter has organization, therefore there is universal intelligence expressed in all matter.

•      Universal Principles
The Sufficiency of Consciousness

•     3.            This self-organizational consciousness is always sufficient to create whatever organization is expressed. (Principle 8)

•         Principle 8 – The amount of intelligence for any given amount of matter is 100%, and is always proportional to its requirements.

•       Sufficiency

•       “Sufficient cause” for all organization that has, does, or will exist

–   Immaterial potential only, until expressed

•     All possible forms that the universe, or any part of it, might ever assume, already exist as possibilities in consciousness

–   The possibility of consciousness is the consciousness of possibility

•     Unlimited

•     Unchanging

•     Non-anthropomorphic

•      Universal Principles
Cause and Effect, and Time

•      4.            This self-organizational consciousness is expressed as physical organization in substance (matter/energy) through cause and effect relationships (Principle 2) that unfold over time. (Principle 3)

•         Principle 2 – Every effect has causes and every cause has effects.

•         Principle 3 – All processes require time.

•       Cause and Effect, and Time

•       Also primary assumptions concerning the basic nature of the universe

•       Apply to the entire universe, including its immaterial aspect

–   Universal consciousness, the cause of organization, expresses itself over time as matter’s organization, which is the effect of consciousness

•       Confirms the naturalness of the universe

•       Organization

•       Organization = specific parts (structures) moving in specific relationships with each other.

•       Consciousness assembles the specific parts and creates the specific relationships between them.

•       Organization: Specific Parts

•              Parts:

•   2 Hydrogen atoms/1 Oxygen atom

•   2 Hydrogen atoms/1 Sulfur atom

•              Relationships:

–           The relationships among the

              parts are nearly identical

•              Organization:

•   H₂O (water)

•   H₂S (rotten egg gas)

•              Which “parts” does make a difference

•      Organization: Specific Relationships

•              Parts: 0.4g carbon atoms

•              Relationships:

•  Uniform tetrahedral lattice

•  Sheets of hexagonal lattice

•              Organization:

•  2 Carat Diamond (~$8,000)

•  0.9mm Pencil Lead (~4¢)

•              “Relationships” do make a difference         

•       Organization

•         Examples exist at every level of inorganic and organic activity.

–     An atom – p⁺, n⁰, e^- in specific patterns of movement

–     A molecule – atoms moving in specific relationships

–     A cell – innumerable different molecules interacting

–     A tissue – similar cells interact to form a unified structure

–     An organ – specific tissues functioning in unison

–     A system – specific organs acting in coordination

–     The body – all organ systems interacting as one

–     The ecosphere – living organisms interacting with each other and their environment to create a self-sustaining organized system

•       Universal Principles
Energetic Interactionalism

•      5.            These cause and effect relationships are created in substance by way of energy-mediated interactions^* between material structures. (Principle 4)

         *Energy-mediated interactions: one material structure affecting the motion of another by the exchange of forces between them

•         Principle 4 – Matter can have no organization without the application of force by intelligence.

•       Force – the Interactive Interface

•         To serve as the connection between consciousness and matter, force must have both physical and non-physical components.

•         In our symbol of unity through duality, is the sinusoidal interface black or white?     (Actually, it must         be both!)

•       Force –
the “Interactive Interface”

•       Force must have a physical component to cause matter to have/change motion.

•       Matter itself is inertial

–   Inertia: matter at rest will remain at rest (i.e. unrelated to other matter), or if in motion, will remain in motion at a constant velocity (i.e. unrelated to other matter) unless acted on by an outside force

–   For a living thing, inertia = death

•       Force’s Physical Component
Energy

•       The physical aspect of any force is energy.

–   Energy is physical substance (E = mc²).

•     Gravity

•     Electromagnetism

•     Strong and weak nuclear forces

•     Mechanical, chemical energy

•       Energy can move freely through the vacuum of space, can move through matter, and can be stored in matter

•       Energy
Force’s Physical Component

•       Consciousness doesn’t create energy

–   All the energy and all the matter of the universe already exist

•       Consciousness uses the physical energy of the universe to organize the matter of the universe

–   It is the organization of the universe, not its matter/ energy, which is continuously unfolding (physical evolution)

•       Consciousness continuously organizes matter by continuously creating the forces that continuously change matter’s motion

====================================================================

End Midterm Material - my vary by class 

====================================================================

 Universal Principles

Information and Form

•     6.            All energy-mediated interactions between material structures transmit information* and create relationships in matter. (Principle 9)

         *Information: the potential to form a specific relationship between interactive parts; potential form

•         Principle 9 – The function of force is to unite intelligence and matter.

•       Force’s Immaterial Component

•       To serve as the connection between immaterial intelligence and physical matter, force must have both physical and non-physical components.

–   Force must have an immaterial component to carry the organizational “intent” (form) of consciousness to matter.

•       Information

•       The immaterial (non-physical) aspect of any force is information

–   Information is the message carried by any force, which “tells” the matter it affects “what to do”

–   The information in any force is expressed by matter in the specific way it responds to that force, which gives matter its form

•       Information can be stored/carried in matter, but can only be transferred from matter to matter to create organization by way of energy

•      Universal Principles
Information and Form

•      6.            …These relationships among material parts constitute the form* of the matter at any moment in time.  (Principle 13)

         * Form: the specific character of the interaction between material parts which determines the properties of the organization created by the interaction    

•         Principle 13 – The function of matter is to express force.

•       Form

•       Form: the specific character of the interaction between material parts which determines the properties of the organization created by the interaction

–   Form is the actual shape and actions of matter

–   Form is given to matter by the forces that shape its motions

–   Form is the physical expression of the immaterial potential (information) contained in force(s)

•      Universal Principles
Form and Consciousness

•      7.            The universe’s self-organizational consciousness is the source of the information in any and all energy-mediated interactions. (Principle 7)

•         Principle 7 – The function of intelligence is to create force.

•      Universal Principles
The Problem of Interference

•      8.            During the transmission of information inherent in any energy-mediated interaction, interference* can and may occur. (Principle 12)

         *Interference: alteration to the information being transmitted by the energy involved in an energy-mediated interaction

•         Principle 12 – There can be interference with the transmission of universal forces.

•       The Creation of a Force

•       The creation of a force:

–   A new “force” is created wherever and whenever matter emits energy and/or energy is transformed

–   At that “point of creation” consciousness embeds new information in the energy – creating a specific new force

–   The information represents the organization which that specific force may cause (potential)

•       The Transmission of a Force

•       The transmission of a force:

–   The movement of a force (energy/ information) from where it is created to where it is expressed

–   Transmission is a physical process (energy transfer) with an immaterial aspect (the information carried)

–   The process of transmission is limited by the limits of matter and time

•       The Expression of a Force

•       The expression of a force:

–   Every force causes specific motions in the matter it ultimately reaches and interacts with

–   Expression is a physical process (energy affecting matter’s motion) with an immaterial aspect (the consciousness of the matter “interprets” the information in the force to determine how the matter will react)

–   The process of expression is limited by the limits of matter and time

•       Interference

•       The immaterial information (message from universal intelligence) is carried in the physical energy of the force

•       Distortion, alteration, deflection, or absorption of the physical energy of a force during its transmission may also change the information it carries

•       The potential distortion of the information depends on where and how the Information is embedded in the energy

•       Interference

•       Where is the interference? Why?

–  Message: Insert tab “a” into slot “b”

•    Insert tab a into slot “b”

•    Insert tab a into slot b

•    Insert tab a into slot “B”

•    Insert tab a into slot “bh

•    Insert tab a into slot “B”

•    Insert tab a into slot “d”

•       Interference

•       Any change in the information (message) in a force during its transmission has the potential to interfere with (change/alter) the organizational relationship that force will ultimately create between its material “point of creation” and its material “point of expression”

•       If the distortion of the message does distort the organizational relationship, the distortion of the message is an interference.

•       The Expression of an Interference

•       Matter is physically inertial, but possesses consciousness

•       Therefore, whenever it receives a force, its consciousness expresses whatever information is present in that force

•       Whether a distortion of information is an interference or not depends on whether the intelligence of the matter receiving it can interpret it to cause the organizational relationship it was created to cause.

•       The Expression of an Interference

         If the distorted information cannot be interpreted to create normal organization, the distortion of that information is an interference, and the  expression of that interference is dis-organization

•      Universal Principles
Universal Laws

•      9.            At the inorganic level of organization, energy-mediated interactions are deterministic and unindividualized. Such interactions are commonly characterized as universal laws. (Principle 11)

•         Principle 11 – The forces the  universe’s intelligence creates throughout the universe are manifested as physical laws; they are unswerving and unadapted, and have no solicitude for the structures in which they work.

•       Universal Forces

•       Consciousness creates the information in universal forces.

•       Matter expresses the information in universal forces as “universal laws.”

•       Universal forces/laws are “unswerving and unadapted, and have no solicitude for the structures in which they work” (Principle 11)   whether those structures are living things or not. (Principle 14)

•      Universal Principles
Unital Consciousness

•      10.  The self-organizational consciousness inherent to and active in the whole universe is necessarily also inherent to and active in any specific, self-organizing entity (unit) of the universe (unital consciousness) (Principle 14)

•         Principle 14 – Universal intelligence gives force to both organic and inorganic matter.

•       Unital Consciousness

•       Any/every “thing” (atom, molecule, cell, organism, stellar system) has a consciousness of itself, continually creating the forces within it that cause/maintain its own organization

–   Unital  self-creation/self-maintenance

–   Aware of itself and its “not-self ” (environment)

–   Demonstrates “organizational integrity”

•     Internal harmony = coordination = ease = health

–   Responds to external forces in terms of its own wholeness

•      Universal Principles
The Perfect Expression of Form

•      11.  For any specific structure to express its unital consciousness to its fullest, all the matter necessary to create it must be present, …

•      Universal Principles
The Perfect Expression of Form

•      11.  … and all the energy-mediated interactions necessary to give it its specific form must occur without interference. (Principles 6, 10)

•         Principle 6 – Any organized structure is a triunity having three necessary factors; namely, intelligence, matter and the force which united them.

•         Principle 10 – The amount of force created by intelligence is always 100%.

•       “Perfect” Organization

•       Organization = parts + relationships

•       “Perfect” organization = organizational integrity

–   Appropriate parts in coordinated relationships

•     Parts fit together smoothly

•     Relationships have harmonic resonance (ease)

•       Organizational integrity = “wholeness”

–   The next (higher) level of expression is created

•     “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”

•       Same consciousness that created the parts and the relationships is expressed by the whole

•       The Biological Principles

•      The next 7 principles explore the topic of “life,”  identifying the self-organizing potential of a living thing as its innate intelligence and describing the unique, constructive forces created within living things to maintain their organization. These are the biological principles.

•      Biological Principles
Innate Intelligence

•      12.  Each and every living organism has the self-organizational consciousness of the universe inherent to and active within it, which is its unital consciousness. (Principle 15.)

•         Principle 15 – The material of the body of a “living thing” is organized matter.

•      Biological Principles
Innate Intelligence

•      12.  …Traditionally, this has been referred to as the organism’s innate intelligence. (Principles 16, 22)

•         Principle 16 – A living thing has the intelligence of the universe inborn within it, referred to as its innate intelligence.

•         Principle 22 – There is 100% of innate intelligence in every living thing, the requisite amount, proportional to its requirements.

•       Innate intelligence

•       “A living thing has the intelligence (consciousness) of the universe inborn within it, referred to as its innate intelligence.” – Stephenson’s Principles

–   “Innate intelligence” is the name we give to consciousness being expressed through the organizational integrity of a living thing

–   In a uni-cellular organism, its cellular (unital) consciousness = its “innate intelligence”

–   In a multi-cellular organism, its “organismic self-” consciousness = its “innate intelligence”

•       Innate “intelligence”

•       Why “intelligence?”

–  From the Latin verb intelligere: to perceive, understand

–  Definitions:

•    “Perception; discernment”

•    “The ability to respond quickly and successfully to a new situation”

•       Innate “intelligence”

•       Two levels of “perception” in a living thing:

–   What is happening inside me = internal needs

–   What is going on around me = external challenges

•       Two levels of “response” in a living thing

–   How I meet my own needs = coordination

–   How I respond to the environment = adaptation

•      Biological Principles
Innate Intelligence Expressed

•      13.  Life exists through the expression of this innate intelligence, (Principle 18) and each and every individual life derives its meaningfulness from the expression of this innate intelligence. (Principle 17)

•         Principle 18 – Life is necessarily the union of this intelligence and the matter of a living thing, brought about by the creation of specific internal biological forces..

•         Principle 17 – The expression of this intelligence through matter is the chiropractic meaning of “life.”

•      Biological Principles
The Signs of Life

•      14.  A living organism’s innate intelligence is expressed by the higher order interactive processes that characterize life itself, …

•     That Characterize Life Itself…

•       Life is self-created, self-directed motion

•       Life exists “far from equilibrium”

•       Life demonstrates enthalpy

•       Death allows equilibrium to return

•       Death “closes the system,” creating entropy

•      Biological Principles
The Signs of Life

•      14. …including self-assembly, self-maintenance, self-transformation, species-perpetuation and self-directed matter/energy exchanges with the environment.

•      Biological Principles
The Signs of Life

•      14.  …Traditionally, these have been referred to as the signs of life. (Principle 19)

•         Principle 19 – The signs of life (the ability to assimilate, eliminate, grow, reproduce and adapt) are evidence of the intelligence of life.

•       The Signs of Life

•       The signs of life (assimilation, elimination, growth, reproduction, adaptability) are evidence of the innate intelligence of life (Principle No. 19)

–  Assimilation/Elimination

•    (Self-directed matter/energy exchange   w/ the environment)

–  Growth (Self-assembly, self-transformation)

–  Reproduction (Species-perpetuation)

–  Adaptability (Self-maintenance)

•      Assimilation
(Matter/Energy Exchange)

•       “…the ability of an organism to take into its body food materials selectively and make them a part of itself according to a system or intelligent plan” Chiropractic Text Book, Article 65, p. 35

–   Food, water, oxygen, information are all actively assimilated from the environment into the organism

–   Assimilation is self-directed – determined by the needs of the organism

•      Assimilation
(Matter/Energy Exchange)

•       Environmental “assimilants” must be adapted (purposefully altered) to be utilized

–   All matter must be reorganized into the forms adapted to the organism’s needs

–   The information in any force must be converted from destructive to constructive

–   Information must be translated into meaningful form (understanding)

•      Elimination
(Matter/Energy Exchange)

•       “…the ability of an organism to give off waste matters selectively, which an intelligence deems are no longer of use in that structure” Chiropractic Text Book, Article 66, p. 35

–   The waste products of metabolism are selectively and actively expelled back into the environment

–   Elimination is self-directed – determined by the needs of the organism

        

•      Elimination
(Matter/Energy Exchange)

•       Matter/energy eliminated by the body:

–   Metabolic waste matter (CO₂, H₂O, NH₃)

–   Excess energy

–   Unassimilated dietary elements

–   Autotoxins (breakdown products)

–   Immune system effluvia

–   Surface epidermal layer

•       Common origin of the perception of sickness – nausea, diarrhea, fever, etc.

•      Growth
(Self-assembly/self-transformation)

•       “…the ability to expand according to an intelligent plan to mature size”

                        Chiropractic Text Book, Article 68, p. 37

–   The body’s innate intelligence uses assimilated energy to assemble assimilated matter into the structures and functions of life

–   Growth is self-directed – influenced by the genetic potentials and environmental “assimilants” but determined by the expression of innate intelligence

•      Growth
(Self-assembly/self-transformation)

•       Embryology: Rapid self-assembly

–   Assimilation vastly exceeds elimination

•       Maturation: Developmental growth

–   Assimilation exceeds elimination

•       Education: Informational growth

–   Continuous assimilation/integration of new experiences

•       Dynamic equilibrium: Self-maintenance

–   Assimilation approximately equals elimination

•      Reproduction
(Meta-unital (Life-) Perpetuation)

•       …the ability of the unit to reproduce  something of like kind; the power to perpetuate its own kind

                        Chiropractic Text Book, Article 69, p. 38

–  Reproduction is “meta-unital” (beyond the needs of the organism itself)

•    Cellular reproduction - directed by the organism’s needs

•    Organismic reproduction is directed by the species’ needs

•       Reproduction

•       Molecular replication

–    May be the earliest, simplest “sign” of life

•       Asexual reproduction

–   Fission, cloning, budding

–   All are types of the “duplication of form”

•       Sexual (gametal) reproduction

–   Also produces a “duplication of form”

–   Produces variation of form through which the “consciousness of life” can express itself fully

•       Adaptability

•       The ability a living organism has to respond to all forces that impinge on it, both internal and external, so as to survive as itself.

–   The ability to adapt comes from the innate intelligence of the organism

–   The expression of that ability comes from the material organization (structure/function) of the organism

–   Often considered the primary sign of life

•       Adaptability

•       …the intellectual ability that an organism possesses of responding to all forces which come to it, whether Innate or Universal

                        Chiropractic Text Book, Article 67, p. 36

–   Expressed at all levels of living function

–   Adaptability is a potential (the ability to respond) that must be expressed moment by moment as actual responses  (adaptations)

–   Adaptability is intellectual, whereas adaptations are physical

•       Expressions of Adaptability

§  Enthalpy – The ability a living organism has to maintain itself in active organization against the effects of entropy.

§  Homeostasis – The ability a living organism has to maintain constant, optimum internal conditions in the face of constantly changing external conditions.

§  Healing – The ability a living organism has to repair and/or replace and/or compensate for damage to its physical structure.

•       Adaptability vs. adaptation

•       Adaptability denotes the full range of possible survival responses an individual or species could make (Adaptive Range)

•       Adaptation denotes the actual response a specific individual or species makes in response to a specific survival challenge.

•      Biological Principles
The Limits of Expression

•      15.  A living organism’s innate intelligence is expressed through the medium of, and therefore within the limitations of, the atomic and molecular organization of the matter of which it is composed. (Principle 25)

•         Principle 25 – A living thing’s innate intelligence adapts forces and matter for use in its body as long as it can do so without breaking a universal law, in other words, its expression is limited by the limitations of matter and time.

•       Limits of Adaptability

•       Any organism’s adaptability (its potential adaptive range) is limited by the form of the organism and the time adaptive processes require.

•       Adaptive range is limited by the general form of the organism and is variable throughout the life of an individual (or a species) depending on its age, form, vigor, etc. It can expand or decrease over time.

•       Limits of Adaptation

§  Any particular adaptation is limited by the individual’s genetics, history, diet, neurological integrity

§  Subluxation would be considered a limiting factor in the expression of any specific adaptive response

•      Biological Principles
Normal  Structure and Function

•      16.  A living organism’s innate intelligence is the source of the information in any and all of the energy-mediated interactions that create intra- and inter-cellular organization within that organism,… (Principle 20)

•         Principle 20 – The mission of a living thing’s innate intelligence is to maintain the material of its body in active organization.

•      Biological Principles
Normal  Structure and Function

•      16. …thus defining what is normal structure and function for that organism. (Principles 26, 27)

•         Principle 26 – A living thing’s innate intelligence is always normal, and its function is always normal.

•         Principle 27 – The forces a living thing’s innate intelligence creates are never intended to injure or destroy the living thing itself.

•      Internal Biological (Innate) Forces

– As a living organism creates, transmits and expresses its own innate forces, it can result in two possible outcomes:

•   “Total Health”

•   “Relative Health”

•      The Expression of Innate Forces

–   Total Health:

        The innate forces of the body are created, transmitted and expressed perfectly through perfect matter, creating perfect health

•     An “idealized” concept

–   Relative health:

        The innate forces of the body are created, transmitted and expressed as completely as they can be (no interference) through the less than perfect matter of the body, creating the optimum health possible

•     Chiropractic’s actual clinical objective

•      Biological Principles
Normal Adaptation

•      17.  A living organism’s innate intelligence is the source of the information necessary to reorganize the matter and energy it assimilates from its environment into patterns of structural relationships (forms) …

•       Matter Re-organized (Adapted)

•       Every DNA molecule in your body is a re-arrangement of assimilated DNA

–   Broken down into base pairs and deoxyribose

–   Reassembled into your unique pattern of DNA

–   If not needed for DNA, can be used for other functions (e.g. ATP – adenosine triphosphate)

•       Every protein in your body is a re-arrangement of assimilated proteins

–   Broken down into amino acids and re-synthesized into the proteins you need

•      Biological Principles
Normal Adaptation

•      17.  …and energetic interactions (internal biological forces) that maintain the identity of the organism (Principle 23) and thus are constructive to the organism. (Principle 28)

•         Principle 23 – The function of a living thing’s innate intelligence is to adapt environmental forces and matter for use in its body, so that all parts of its body will have coordinated action for mutual benefit

•         Principle 28 – In order to carry on the universal cycle of life, environmental forces are destructive to a specific living thing, unless it can adapt them, whereas internal biological forces are constructive to the specific living thing that creates them, unless they suffer interference.

•       Energy Reorganized (Adapted)

–   Every self-created internal biological force is a transformation of a potentially destructive environmental force.

–   Consider the chemical energy of O₂:

•    Atmospheric O₂ = destructive reagent

•    HGl-bound O₂ = useful biological reagent

–   Consider raw electromagnetic energy:

•    Sunlight on skin = potentially harmful UV

•    Retinal-pigment-captured sunlight = an environmentally meaningful nerve impulse

•      The Intelligence of Adaptation – Responding to External  (Unadapted) Forces

         “The student’s attention is called, here, to the word responding, which indicates sensibility.” *

         “Organisms…show the presence of intelligence by the manifestations of that intelligence, in judging every circumstance of environment which may, even remotely, have something to do with the organism.”*

           

         “Man has the most powerful organ of Intellectual Adaptation, the educated brain, hence a greater adaptability.” *

            *Stephenson’s Chiropractic Text Book, Article 67, p. 36-37

•      The Four Steps of Adaptation

§   Environmental challenge

§  May arise from internal or external environment

§  May be enthalpic, homeostatic, traumatic

§   Innate awareness

§  Innate intelligence “judges every circumstance of environment which may, even remotely, have something to do with the organism.”

•      The Four Steps of Adaptation

§  Intellectual adaptation

§  “The plans of Innate to meet circumstances.”*

§  “It differs from adaptation in that intellectual adaptation is a mental (immaterial) process.”*

            *Stephenson’s Chiropractic Text Book, Article 99, p. 60

§  Physical personification (Adaptation)

§  The immaterial expressed in material

§  “Innate’s plans coming true.”**

      ** Stephenson’s Chiropractic Text Book, Article 79, p. 46

•      The Fate of an Environmental Force

–   A living organism adapts the environmental forces acting upon it into internal biological forces if it can, but because of the limits of matter/time, it may be only partially able to do so, or it may fail completely

–   Thus, an environmental force interacting with a living organism can result in three possible outcomes  to the organism, or possible fates of the environmental force itself:

–   Conversion

–   Resistance

–   Trauma

(Stephenson called these “The Fates of Force”)

•      The Fates of a Universal Force

– Conversion:

        Innate intelligence changes the character (information content) of the force (adapts it), transforming it into a constructive internal biological force.

•      The Fates of a Universal Force

Resistance:

        Innate intelligence, utilizing the internal resistive forces present in the body, dissipates some or all of the environmental force without benefit or harm.

•      The Fates of a Universal Force

– Trauma:

        The environmental force is greater than the internal resistive forces of the body, overcomes them and is expressed as physical harm or damage to the body.

•       Biological Principles
Health

•      18.  When the information an organism’s innate intelligence creates is expressed without interference, it produces the organized relationships between the constituent parts of the organism (coordination), … (Principle 24)

•         Principle 24 – Coordination is the principle of harmonious interaction among all the parts of an organism, in fulfilling their functions and purposes.

•       Biological Principles
Health

•      18. … and an organized relationship between the organism and its environment (adaptation). (Principle 23) These normal relationships constitute the life and health of the organism. (Principle 21)

•         Principle 23 – The function of a living thing’s innate intelligence is to adapt environmental forces and matter for use in its body, so that all parts of its body will have coordinated action for mutual benefit.

•         Principle 21 – In order to have 100% life, there must be 100% intelligence, 100% force, and 100% matter.

•       The Chiropractic Principles

•               The last four principles relate the preceding metaphysical biological model to its primary expression in humans (and other vertebrates). They posit the significance of the nerve system in self-awareness and self-regulation, and the significance of potential malfunction in the intimate anatomical/ physiological/bio-mechanical relationship between the spinal column and the nerve system.

•       The Chiropractic Principles

•                They are referred to as the “chiropractic principles” because they are the only part of this syllogism that specifically underlies chiropractic practice. The universal and biological principles, on the other hand, are applicable to developing an appropriate, vitalistic perspective on human existence in any and all areas of human functioning and interpersonal relationships.

•      Chiropractic Principles
The Role of the Nerve System

•      19. The innate intelligence of a living organism with a nerve system utilizes the energetic interactions mediated over the nerve system (afferent and efferent nerve impulses)... (Principle 31)

•         Principle 31 – In animals, some of the forces a living thing’s innate intelligence creates operate through or over its nerve system.

•      Chiropractic Principles
The Role of the Nerve System

•      19. …to create organism-wide self-awareness of its own internal and external environments (self-perception), and to create organism-wide coordination internally and adaptation externally (self-regulation). (Principle 32)

•         Principle 32 – The Law of Demand and Supply operates and is expressed in animal bodies through the functioning of the nerve system; wherein the brain acts as a CPU for the living thing’s innate intelligence, and wherein the nerves transmit messages from the body to the brain, concerning its needs (demands) and from the brain to the body to meet (supply) those needs.

•      Chiropractic Principles
Neurological Interference

•      20.  During the transmission of afferent and/or efferent nerve impulses, neurological interference* can and may occur. (Principle 29)

         *Neurological interference: distortion of the information being transmitted by afferent and/or efferent nerve impulses

•         Principle 29 – There can be interference with the transmission of internal biological forces.

•       Neurological Interference

–   The immaterial adaptive information (message from innate intelligence) is carried in the physical energy of the innate force (the nerve impulse).

–   Distortion of a nerve impulse during its transmission may also distort the information it carries, just as distortion of a sound (energy) during its transmission may distort the words (information) it carries.

•       Neurological Interference

–   If adaptive information in nerve impulses causes adaptive function (normal physiology), then distorted information from interference will cause distorted function (dis-ease).

–   Dis-ease:

        The innate forces of the body suffer interference during transmission, and are expressed as physiological incoordination (disorganization) of function.

•      Chiropractic Principles
Diminished Expression

•      21.  Neurological interference will tend to distort an organism’s self-perception (afferently) and/or an organism’s self-regulation (efferently), diminishing the expression of its own innate intelligence. (Principle 30)

•         Principle 30 – Interference with the transmission of internal biological forces causes incoordination, or dis-ease.

•      Chiropractic Principles
Vertebral Subluxation   

•      22. Vertebral subluxations, to the extent that they interfere with neurologically transmitted information, will cause afferent incoordination (misperceptions of the organism’s external environment, and/or its own internal environment),…

•      Chiropractic Principles
Vertebral Subluxation   

•      …and/or efferent incoordination (malfunction internally and/or mal-adaptation externally). (Principle 33)  Traditionally, efferent incoordination has been referred to as dis-ease. (Principle 30)

•         Principle 33 – In vertebrates, interference with the transmission of nerve forces in the body is often directly or indirectly due to subluxations in the spinal column.

•         Principle 30 – Interference with the transmission of internal biological forces causes incoordination, or dis-ease.