Introducing Ayurveda The Science of Health and Disease | Class 11 Knowledge Traditions Practices of India Notes

Role of Basic Sciences in Medicine

All medical systems are applied sciences that adopt and adapt concepts from basic sciences. Modern Western medicine has extensively used physics and chemistry for understanding and managing health and disease. Physics, as a fundamental science, studies energy, matter, and natural laws, contributing to the invention of instruments like microscopes and X-rays, which revolutionized medical diagnostics. The Newtonian mechanistic worldview, which views the world as composed of atoms and molecules, influenced Western medicine to adopt a reductionist perspective—breaking down the human body into smaller parts such as atoms, molecules, cells, tissues, and organs for study and treatment. This structural and chemical viewpoint treats diseases as malfunctions of these parts. However, there is a growing recognition in Western medicine of the dynamic relationships and integration among these parts, leading to a more systemic approach. Ayurveda, on the other hand, bases its concepts on Indian darśanas (philosophical systems) such as Vaiśesika, Nyāya, Sāṅkhya, and Vedānta, which emphasize interconnectedness and holistic understanding. Ayurveda integrates knowledge from various disciplines including botany, veterinary science, metallurgy, chemistry, and mathematics, forming a comprehensive theoretical framework for health and disease management. Its theories and therapies have been tested and refined over millennia, forming a robust system of medicine.

📊 Diagram: See figure_11: From the time of inception, Āyurveda has recognised eight clinical specialities. Kaumārabhytya includes today’s discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

🔗 Connection: This section connects to the next by contrasting Western medicine's reductionism with Ayurveda's holistic worldview and understanding of the human system.