PHILOSOPHY JOURNAL

by William M. Decken, D.C. Associate professor of clinical science Chair of philosophy department.

Article 9 Creating a Culture: Polupoikilos of Chiropractic

Polupoikilos (pol-oo-poy-kil-oss), like the word chiropractic, comes from Greek roots. “Polus” means much, and “poikilos” means manifold, varied, or many colored. As God created us with many shades, hues, tints and a variety of expressions, so too is chiropractic much colored, and much varied are the approaches of chiropractors to chiropractic.

B.J. Palmer said we are as different on the inside as we are on the outside. He was speaking about the innate intelligence of the body, but his comments can be equally applied to the educated mind and actions of chiropractors. Manifold are the expressions of chiropractic in chiropractic practice and education.

Sherman College has always emphasized the importance of lifetime chiropractic care for the correction of subluxation, whether the person we care for is experiencing symptoms or not.
Chiropractic philosophy, addressing both the material and immaterial pathways of communication, helps us understand that regardless of what is going on in our body, life or health, we are better off without vertebral subluxation.

Chiropractic is a philosophy, science and art, according to the founders. Some in the profession see the philosophy as being antiquated and suggest that the future evolution of the profession be governed solely by science. Science and research are important to our profession, but I submit that chiropractic philosophy also provides ample support when applied properly.

Sherman College’s influence in the straight chiropractic community (as evidenced by its curriculum) has built on the philosophy of the Palmers by accentuating the need for chiropractic care even in the absence of conditions. Most would agree that chiropractic adjustments should not be offered as a cure for anything. This concept is the focus of Joe Strauss’s Refined by Fire, a chiropractic text used in several classes at Sherman. Likewise, to a man or a woman, everyone in the straight chiropractic community understands that folks are better off without subluxation. Ah, the manifold expressions of chiropractic.

Sherman College has always taught that chiropractic philosophy tells us why we should look for subluxation of the spine and introduce an adjustive force that the innate intelligence of the body can use constructively in correcting vertebral subluxation. The science of chiropractic is essentially the science of the subluxation since that is our professional focus.

How is the vertebra misaligned? How are spinal biodynamics affected? How is the body compromised? What is the best method for clearing subluxation? How do we know where the subluxation is? How do we know when it is there? When is the best time for the adjustive thrust? What are the ramifications of subluxation in a person’s life?

These are just some of the measurable questions our science helps to answer. Science tells us how the subluxation is a detriment and how our adjustment helps the body. The art of chiropractic – or rather, the art of the chiropractor – is how we get the job done.

Some might say that the serious health care problems facing the world today require complex solutions and that such solutions have to be based on empirical research. Teaching chiropractic through a science-based curriculum is one way to address this concern. However, science has a tendency to be reductionistic in nature and for that reason it is quite possible that important questions, and hence data, could be omitted.

Sherman College’s curriculum is based on philosophy and recognizes the importance of balancing it equally with science and art. The ultimate focus of all three areas is the vertebral subluxation. Science is important, but science alone is not our basis because it does not help us to understand the “why” of chiropractic.

It seems that an important aspect in the development of human educated intelligence is asking why. Children frequently – and sometimes incessantly – ask “why.” Sometimes my dad would go into detailed explanations as to why things had to be done a certain way around the house; other times he simply said, “Because I said so.” Either way, I had the answer to my question.

We are fortunate that each college is free to develop its own expression of chiropractic. Sherman’s vitalistic chiropractic philosophy leads us to ask different questions requiring scientific endeavor. These questions are not being asked by other colleges that may take a more mechanistic approach to chiropractic. I believe these questions and answers help to highlight the important role of Sherman College in the profession as we enter into an era of collecting evidence that will position philosophy as the guiding principle for the profession.

Acquiring knowledge and developing thinking skills are central to any educational process. Chiropractic is all too often compared to the medical profession, and to some extent we are responsible for this comparison. The nature of chiropractic education is more closely related to medical education than other doctorate degrees (such as a Ph.D. or Ed.D., for example,) so when we talk about purveying new knowledge, we see the importance of our philosophy but we also feel the responsibility of providing scientific evidence. Philosophy should be our guiding force in these inquiries.

I submit to you that chiropractic and vitalistic philosophy are new knowledge to most chiropractors and students when they are first exposed to it. Furthermore, it is this philosophy, or way of looking at the body, life and health, that will cause us to investigate new and different arts and sciences and enhance our knowledge all the more.

Is it possible that a different paradigm might be more supportive of chiropractic philosophy than the reductionist science that drives medical research? If we would like to see more than ten percent of the population receiving chiropractic care in a given year, it may be fruitful for our profession to examine other approaches to building a body of evidence. In the 31-year history of Sherman College, we have seen the philosophy evolve (as I pointed out earlier), but we have not yet seen the nature of scientific inquiry as it is applied in chiropractic change all that much.

Sherman College is unique and has a mission that is distinct from many other colleges. Our mission is an integral part of the future of the entire profession. Toward this end, Sherman College is sponsoring an International Research and Philosophy Symposium (IRAPS) this October.

Scholarly papers will be presented on both the philosophy and science/research aspect of the profession. The philosophy papers will help challenge science-minded individuals to consider how philosophical tenets might be incorporated into research. Likewise, the science papers will challenge the philosophy-minded folks to fully assess the principles of chiropractic for clarity and completeness using scientific methods. The ideas presented in these papers will stretch our thinking and potentially guide us in building a stronger chiropractic profession.

Chiropractors and chiropractic colleges around the world should include a serious look at the vitalistic principles of the philosophy of chiropractic and not only its science or art. Indeed, it would be a great strength for the profession to do so. The Palmers demonstrated keen wisdom in naming all three components to the basis of chiropractic. Can we do any less as we nurture it into the future?

I often find myself pondering the future of chiropractic and the people we serve. I get frustrated when I see our culture getting bogged down in mechanistic thinking and practices. There is so much more to life when we take the time to look behind the scenes and explore the vitalistic side of things. As chiropractors, we have the option of choosing between a profession that is based on science alone or one that is based on a solid “three-legged stool” of philosophy, science and art.

In his book, Developing the Leader Within You, John Maxwell says that people can generally prioritize when faced with “right” or “wrong” issues. But he recognizes the challenge of making a choice between two good alternatives. Here’s what he suggests:

Ask your overseer or coworkers their preference. Can one of the options be handled by someone else? If so, pass it on and work on the one only you can do. Which option would be of greater benefit to the customer? Too many times we are like the merchant who was so intent on trying to keep the store clean that he would never unlock the front door. The real reason for the store is to have customers, not to clean it.

As a doctor of chiropractic, you and your practice can make a major contribution toward the health care of people within your circle of influence. The marketplace demands that you define yourself and make your decisions based on your purpose. These circumstances are no different for Sherman College. Are you doing something that no one else can do or is willing to do?
Will your decisions be made with regard to philosophy, science or art? Which is it that drives your purpose?

Two things are certain; first, we are a colorful profession with tremendous variety, and I hope our manifold expression enables us to share chiropractic with more people in the most effective ways possible. Second, anyone in practice for even a short period of time has seen the manifold expressions of the body begin to unfold after a simple chiropractic adjustment was made to restore proper movement of information through the nerve system. Let’s not lose sight of these certainties.


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