1. I know I'm a living system because...
The article in class that defined living systems described them as being able to constantly maintain and create themselves. Therefore, by that definition, I am certainly a living system! I rely on input from the environment, but my body/mind is in a constant process of regeneration, recovery, and growth, as proven by my ability to heal, grow more hair, make new friends, or learn new things.
2. Biophysics and TCM
I really do not think that there is much overlap between these two ways of looking at life and the human body. While western science relies heavily on computers and microscopes, the science of TCM is empirical - that is, it relies on observation and experimentation to form a knowledge base. Biophysicists will continue to be skeptical of TCM or the effectiveness of Chinese medicine until the invention of a machine that measures qi, and that's personally all right with me. The studies from class, such as on the effectiveness of TCM in treating menopause symptoms, are great, and also make me wonder how many things TCM will need to prove to treat until it is accepted as medicine by the scientific community.
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