Science has it's own limitation. It is important not to build "new religion" and "superstition" out of sciences.
Scientific discoveries always based on continuous repudiations of past discoveries. Therefore, results are "relative" not "absolute". There is no "absolute truth in science", only "evolution of scientific discoveries"..... even in area such as "Quantum Physics".
According to the "Principal of Uncertainty" by Heinsenberg, scientific results are always affected by the state of mind of the researchers.
It is particularly difficult to do research in areas such as "qigong" -- a few problems are difficulty to solve:
1. "Duplication" -- it is always difficult to duplicate "qi" and "qigong" phenonema -- which is always a prerequisite for scientific research.
2. "Large" number of samplings -- "qi" or "qigong" phenonema is individual inner happenings. It is incidental and not the "norm". You might be able to test a small number of results -- but the "scientific community" is not going to acknowledge your results.
Therefore, dear friends, you might be able to test "yourself" or some of your friends with good results --- the questions is: Are you going to be accepted by the "scientific community" and be published in "scientific journals" ?? (They are going to ask for "endless" number of duplications of results and samplings -cross culturally)
Otherwise, they are going to call you "puseudo science" (faked science)
3. "Instruments" -- modern instruments are still not able to detect simple "qigong" or "qi" phenonema such as "meridians and collaterals" and "qi" in Chinese acupuncture. Practitioners know the existence of it from inner experiences, but no instruments in the Western world today can do quantitative measurement.
4. "Linear thinking" in scientific studies absolute repudiate phenonoma such as "sixth senses", "ESP" (extra sensory perception), "clairvoyance" ...etc. Whereas "qigong" phenonema and existence are usually realized through "sensibilities"
5. "Observabities" -- scientific results are only based on the limited senses and perceptions of the researchers (hearing, seeing.......).and accepting findings that are "observable" by these limited senses. We all know, there are more senses human beings can develope.
"qi" or "qigong" phenomena are always unobservable, undetectable......
6. "Double blinded" method - A control group and an experimental group are always required. An ideal condition is always being set up before testing.
In "qigong" phenonema, situations are usually "uncontrolable". Set up of conditions usually "interferes" practitioners from achieving success.
I have heard of a "qigong" contest being set up a few years ago in China -- all the "qigong" people participated failed to achieve results.
I have also heard from famous teachers personally explaining reasons why scientific researches failed, because the researchers wanted to impose conditions such as "time, place, lighting etc. for the experiments.
These teachers say, researchers do not know -- it is not OK to make preconditions for "qigong" phenonema to happen. It has it's own "set" of requirements independent of interferences.
It needs absolute "freedom" and "trust".
7. Regarding the matter of "Trust" -- the teacher said, If someone doing the experiment is "suspicious" or does not "believe " in the result -- it is going to be "unsuccessful".
It goes right back to the "Theory of Uncertainty" by Heinsberg.
Ha Ha....most of the scientists are going to be "suspicious" before the test result is confirmed....
Therefore, tryng to use science as a tool to assist the development of "qigong" is very helpful.
However, understanding the handicap of science, and what science can do and cannot do is also very important.
Otherwise, we are going to fall into a "new trap" of swinging from "One superstition" into "another superstition" !!!
[此贴子已经被作者于2002-9-30 15:51:27编辑过]