• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.353-360
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• 2015

In a essay that was published on 'Science' in December 2014 as a part of the supplement "The Art and Science of Traditional Medicine," the eastern and western medical theories are discussed with reference to the model-dependent realism suggested by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow. This paper examines what the model-dependent realism is, and how it affects the future direction of researches in traditional Korean medical theories. The model-dependent realism holds a meaning in that it puts traditional medical theories in a perspective of models, and allows for application of recent studies in scientific philosophy for researches in traditional medical theories. Especially, the model studies by R. Giere et al. will help elaborate the traditional medical theories from a model perspective. From a model perspective, the 'visceral manifestation', 'meridian and collateral', 'qi-blood', 'eight principles' and 'constitution' theories of traditional medicine have the potentials to develop into valid models, and the traditional medical theory's phenomenological and holistic perspective distinguishes it from western medicine, giving it a competitive edge. In addition, the epistemological pluralism of model-dependent realism can serve as an alternative to relativism or rationalism perspective which put eastern and western medicine in opposition until now.