Alternative Health Paradigms - Essay Example

‘Western Science in Perspective and the Search for Alternatives’ From the very beginning, man has learned to adapt to the surrounding environment. The evolution of modern science and technology, on the contrary, triggered the ability of mankind to transform the environment according to human culture and necessities. As science in the modern era has mostly evolved under the influence of western civilization, the western methods and applications of science gave rise to ideological and materialistic bias.

Western science has been defined differently by various research scholars. As Jamison (1994) has stated, “For some critics, the ‘Westernness’ of modern science lies in what is purported to be its characteristic world-view, its fundamental attitudes to Nature, reality, and knowledge; for others it is the social system and/or institutional framework within which knowledge production is embedded that is seen as being most Westernized; while for still others the problems lie in the technological applications and more general economic development strategies that are in some way seen to be derived from, or intertwined with, science.

” Due to several implications in the health care sector, the Western scientific model of medicine is trusted a lot in the United States. The treatment of various minor and major ailments in the shortest span of time is one of the prime reasons for adoption of western medicine by most people. Additionally, the Western way of science has evolved improved health care technologies that are far too effective and practical in diagnosis as well as treatment. However, the western scientific paradigm has eventually transformed itself into a business enterprise.

The medicine in the western model also possesses a number of side effects compared to traditional and other forms of treatment. Considering the implications for health care in the United States, the western scientific model is based on mechanized ways of objectification and reductionism of knowledge. Along with economic well-being and national security, good health does not depend solely on science. Western scientific paradigm defends instrumental knowledge that has nothing to do with moral issues.

In the United States, the health care system has been greatly affected by the capitalist manner of organizing market forces. The racial discriminatory gap between African-Americans and European-Americans based on disease categories as well as health conditions is continuously widening. Such administrative practices are against American values, public health and medical ethics. New technological developments are comparatively uncontrolled in the united sates incurring far greater costs in the health care sector.

Instead of reducing the health care expenditures, the advanced technologies have increased direct and indirect treatment costs manifold. Moreover, the treatment methodologies developed by Western scientific paradigms tend to treat mind and body separately. Evidence suggests that such procedures have raised serious psychological concerns mostly in the United States. The treatment offered by western model also lacks the ability to be equally beneficial to significant population. In a culturally diverse society such as the United States, several alternatives to western paradigms have been proposed for re-establishing the vision of healthy and sustainable society.

There are in principal numerous goods in western scientific paradigm that when brought in compliance with other traditional models can prove beneficial to the mankind. Despite many efforts by different scholars, the proposed alternatives to western model became narrower and specific with the passage of time. The alternatives to western science should contribute towards universal kind of knowledge. However, these alternatives must follow the norm and values of specific cultural groups to avoid conflicts.

Some scholars have presented irrationalism and obscurantism as significant alternatives. However, the search for alternatives to western science is still progressive for production of universal knowledge. References Jamison, A. (1994). Western science in perspective and the search for alternatives. In Salomon, J (Ed.), The uncertain quest: science, technology, and development. Tokyo, New York, Paris: United Nations University Press. Cobern, W. W., & Loving, C. C. (2000). Defining “science” in a multicultural world: Implications for science education.

Science Education, 85, 50 – 67. Bodenheimer, T. (2005). High and rising health care costs. II. Technologic innovation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 142, 932–937.