Vitalist Medical Anthropology: a broadening to the understanding of the human illness process

Abstract

Anthropology is the science that aims to study the man in his plurality of ways of life and thought, incorporating the various aspects of individuality to their modalities of study (biological, social, cultural, and philosophical). In turn, the medical anthropology studies the factors that influence the health-disease process, including bio-socio-cultural aspects and different healthcare systems. Following the intrinsic purpose of studying man in his plurality, the Vitalist Medical Anthropology provides philosophical subsidies for expanding the understanding of the disease process, analyzing the health-disease mechanism in accordance with the human ontological structure. Basing the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in various non-conventional medical rationalities (Chinese Traditional Medicine, Indian Traditional Medicine, Homeopathic Medicine, and Anthroposophic Medicine), the vitalist conception is a philosophical doctrine that considers the existence of a vital force (principle) responsible for maintaining the health and life, united substantially to the physical body. Furthermore, valuing the interaction of other higher instances of human individuality (mind, soul and spirit) in the physiological-life balance, the vitalist conception includes the influence of thoughts, feelings and emotions in pathogenesis and evolution of the diseases, aspects disseminated by modern psychosomatic dynamic and the recent field of research that relates health to spirituality.