GUEST EDITORIAL: Research Methodology for Āyurveda and Traditional Systems of Medicines: Practical Difficulties and Way Ahead
Antonio Morandi, Ayurvedic Point, Milan, Italy
The conceptual framework in which Nature and Science are interpreted depends on historical, cultural, social and economic factors. It is very well known that when comparing western and eastern perceptions of the world, different approaches are found: traditionally, for the West the attention is directed “outward” while for the East it is “inward”, this leads to reaching a balance respectively “outside” and “inside”. The perception of the “outside” is naturally limited by sensorial boundaries and it ends up in a fragmented view of reality, while the attention toward an inner primordial origin leads to holistic perception of reality. The practical result of the “outward” attitude is evident in the field of Modern Science, dominated by western culture, where scientists see Nature as made of separated items. These different substrates lead us to the diverse approaches to health and disease such as those of Modern Biomedicine and Traditional Medicines like Āyurveda.