Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2013, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (01): 137-140.DOI: 10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60116-8

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Logical thinking in pattern differentiation of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Jing Zhou, Jiankun Zhu, Meijuan Chen, Miao Jiang, Zongming Zhang, Zhen Zhan, Xu Zhang   

  1. Basic Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine;Gansu Province Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;Gansu traditional Chinese medicine colleges;
  • Accepted:2013-02-15 Online:2013-02-15 Published:2013-02-15

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To discuss the application of logic to pattern differentiation for treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). METHODS: Comparing logic reasoning of syllogism with the logical thinking ofTCM pattern differentiation for treatment. RESULTS:TCM logical thinking depends on symbolic and intuitive judgment with abstractive reasoning integrated into the process. Although it lacks quantitative measurement, it pays great attention to the comprehensive analysis of a disease's cause and its development patterns to get insight into the essence of illness. CONCLUSION: TCM diagnosis reasoning methodmay lack rigorousness, continuity, systematic induction and deduction, but its logical thinking still can attain its goal following a process with rigorous, regulated and scientific formal logic.

Key words: Logic, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Pattern differentiation, Syllogism

Cite this article

Jing Zhou, Jiankun Zhu, Meijuan Chen, Miao Jiang, Zongming Zhang, Zhen Zhan, Xu Zhang. Logical thinking in pattern differentiation of Traditional Chinese Medicine[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2013, 33(01): 137-140.