Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons^™

Vitalism And Value In Undergraduate Chiropractic Education, Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

Vitalism is a philosophical viewpoint with ancient origins. In more recent times it has been discussed as a reaction to dominant reductionist and mechanist models in science and health. A ‘new vitalism’ incorporates recent developments in philosophy and science.

Demographic changes, particularly ageing, are occurring in many societies. These changes and the rise of non-communicable diseases resulting from unhealthy lifestyles challenge biomedicine’s ability to address them and societies’ abilities to pay for treatment of them.

Chiropractic was founded on and continues to involve vitalist thinking. A vitalist approach by chiropractors might offer solutions to these challenges. Such an approach would …

The Quo Vadis Forum 2010: An Examination Of Philosophy At The Macquarie University Department Of Chiropractic., Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

This Report details the presentations made at the 2010 Quo Vadis Forum at the Macquarie University Department of Chiropractic.

The ‘Isms’Wars: Reflections On Philosophical Models In Health Care And Chiropractic., Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

This paper is based on a presentation made at the Macquarie University’s Department of Chiropractic Advisory Board’s Quo Vadis? Forum on the Teaching and Learning of Chiropractic Principles and Philosophy at Macquarie, held on May 8, 2010 on the Macquarie campus.

Paradigm Shift - The Two Models., Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

The projected costs of trends expected to occur in Australian society over the next 40 years, particularly demographic changes, have the potential to threaten the fiscal sustainability of Australian Government finances. These costs particularly relate to the financing of health care, and the Government has called for new models of care to address this problem. This paper presents and discusses some historical models or paradigms of health care that may assist in understanding the current need for change and a possible solution.

The Palmer Philosophy Of Chiropractic – An Historical Perspective., Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

This paper presents the Palmer philosophy of chiropractic from an historical viewpoint. It examines how influences in the life of DD Palmer, such as spiritualism, theosophy and magnetic healing helped to shape the chiropractic philosophy expressed by him. It also oulines the philosophy of BJ Palmer, explaining how it may have been influenced by legal challenges to the early pioneers of chiropractic. Contemporary expression of the Palmer philosophy, as articulated by Strang, is also noted.