Introduction

Abstract

Acupuncture was first brought into Europe in the 17th century, but until recently was not widely accepted because of a clash of paradigms, East versus West. Chinese medicine is based on holistic patterns, acausal relationships, nonlinear logic, and non-reductionistic phenomenology. Western medicine (in contrast) is based on linear causality and reductionistic scientific theories. Western medical science is quick to reject a phenomenon if it does not fit the current scientific theories. Chinese Taoism had a distaste for explanatory theories and chose instead merely to observe phenomena in order to be in harmony with mother nature. If a needle in the hand cured a toothache, that was sufficient for Chinese Taoism. For Western medicine, acupuncture was impossible and hence was relegated to the wastebasket of placebo effects.