Without these practical men and, of course, the fundamental knowledge of the “Great Sages” like Planck, Einstein and all those erudite professors of physics, quantum mechanics, and biophysics, the biophysical aspect of medicine as expressed in this book would be as unthinkable as during Hah-nemann's days.
When I talk about myself in this book, my experiences and convictions, I primarily use the plural “we” as many factors are interconnected and need to be considered in a medical practice: my excellent staff, constantly thinking on their feet; my patients and their families, who took heart and trusted me enough to jointly venture into often new and foreign territory.
At the same time there are many colleagues—doctors and naturopaths— whom I have had the pleasure to introduce to this new and unaccustomed aspect through a variety of seminars. Their experiences, exchange of ideas, suggestions and last but not least their enthusiasm gave me courage and supported me.
Innsbruck, Fall 2004 Peter Schumacher, M.D.
Part I:Foundation andBasic Terminology
1 The Physics Aspect in Medicine
In medical history, the twentieth century will be recorded as the century in which empirical medicine evolved into the scientific-based rational allopathic tradition. It is the century of cellular pathology, biochemistry, astonishing progress in surgery, and increased life expectancy made possible by newly developed treatment methodologies based on chemical, antibiotic or like methods.
Looking at its success rate, it is by all means appropriate to admire the progress made. However, one cannot help but notice that, at least in the last quarter of the century, scientific medicine has slowly started to circumambulate despite its terrific results which, to date, are uncontested.
Researching ever more complicated relationships in more and more detail is doubtlessly important and scientifically intriguing, but at the same time we run the risk of becoming super specialists who get lost in the details. Consequently, we will not be able to “see the forest for the trees.” Systems thinker F. Vester describes this in considerably more scientific terms: “Studying the individual elements of a system in more and more detail increasingly impedes the ability to recognize its patterns” (Vester 1984). Indeed, in order to get medicine to cease this circumambulation, we need a new approach that surpasses our current ways of thinking.
According to scientific theoretician T.S. Kuhn, “revolutionary processes, not continuous improvements” cause real progress in science (Kuhn 1976). Kuhn coined the now commonly used term paradigm shift. In this context paradigm signifies theorems and methodologies employed by a particular group of scientists and regarded as valid during a specific period of time.
Physics, the basis of natural science, has seen several of those paradigm shifts in the twentieth century, as have other branches of science except medicine. “Medicine is the exception” (Hanzl 1990). Physicist H. P. Dürr says that “a natural scientific view of the world mainly characterized by traits of the old mechanistic-deterministic world view of the 19th century” dominates even today (Durr 1988).
Development, however, does not stop. Sooner or later even medicine will have to take into consideration the revolutionary findings occurring in the basic sciences, in particular quantum physics and quantum mechanics. One can already see some rethinking starting to take place. Thanks to the “new physics” view of the world, some methods of the so-called alternative medicine, previously outside the mainstream of conventional medical thought, are now experiencing a revival. For example, the effect of a high-potency homeopathic remedy greater than D23 would have been unthinkable in the context of the old biochemical materialistic paradigm as it only allows for “measurable quantities.” This includes the physio-scientific aspect in the observation showing that the exclusive informational content of a substance is responsible for the effect, a substance that is an unmeasurable physical entity.
The physics aspect of information, in particular, has proven extremely fruitful. It will play an important role in this book and will profoundly influence the medicine of the next century, as did cellular pathology and biochemistry in the medicine of the 20th century.
We live in a “time of change” (Capra 1983). The process of replacing materialistic paradigms with new, more flexible thought modalities requires of everyone a certain rethinking, or at least a willingness to understand. This is, of course, more difficult for people who are strongly attached to the old paradigm. A scientist who has become an expert in a particular field knows his subject matter inside and out like few others (that is why he holds the professorship). However, he is usually the one least willing to consider, let alone accept, completely different approaches.
We could say that experts are the most effective impediment to progress, or as the famous Max Planck said:
”Newly discovered scientific knowledge does not gain acceptance by convincing its opponents. Rather they slowly fade away.”
What is expected of a “new medicine” that is to shape the 21st century? It is to dismantle well-worn prejudices and create the openness required to embrace new approaches to thinking: networked thinking rather than solely linear thinking, including functional and cybernetic models in the conceptualization of how living systems work. Also, it is to finally bring about, after half a century, the acceptance of the quantum revolution in physics and its most important consequence: the dualism of matter. Up to now, medicine based on natural sciences functioned under the premise of physical matter that we can count, weigh, and measure. This idea was easy to understand and has not been proven wrong per se, but is only a partial aspect of our existence. The other aspect, not easily acceptable for a lay physicist, is the nature of frequency oscillations and their inherent possibilities of interference and resonance.
Admittedly, the idea that everything we are dealing with, including the human body, is supposed to comprise tangible matter and intangible radiation is somewhat difficult to accept. Complete comprehension is not expected of a lay physicist. Specifically, however, physicians should not ignore this fact. Very few people who use their television know exactly how it operates. What they do know is that pictures and sound can be transmitted over long distances, however this may work. They accept this fact and make use of it. Medicine ought to do the same: accept the principle and use it. As we will see later, simple thought modalities will assist our understanding.
Life is only possible under three conditions:
1. Matter
2. Energy
3. Information
This is the key to understanding the phenomenon of life. It seems self-evident but is slow to enter people's awareness. Scholars of natural sciences seem to have a particularly difficult time accepting this reasoning. Ever since Isaac Newton expounded that matter is the origin of all existence at the end of the 17th century, materialistic thinking was the basis for all natural sciences. The scientific materialistic aspect is also emphasized in medicine even though the subjects of its treatments and research are