What Is the Vital Force? Towards a Quantum Perspective on Vitalism and Possible Consequences for CAM.

Abstract

A brief history of vitalism is followed by a description of the scientific paradigm and the relationship of information to quantum theory. Quantum Bayesianism (QBism) is introduced as an alternative subjective interpretation of quantum theory, and a better descriptor of the therapeutic process (TP) than previous objective conventional quantum theoretical (CQT) interpretations. The vital force (Vf) is considered a system defined solely by observations of a patient’s (Px’s) secondary symptoms (S2) during case-taking, and changes to them (DS2) after treatment. This is combined with a previous gyroscopic metaphor of the Vf. According to QBism, wave functions generated by this metaphor depend on subjective degrees of belief in observations of S2 and DS2. As such, assessing a Px’s S2 and DS2 not only changes over time but may well differ from another’s assessment of the same Px. Conclusion: Treating the Vf as an analogue of the quantum state of a macroscopic system, i.e., Px, represents all that can possibly be known about a Px’s symptoms by observation, not the Vf’s presumed reality, separate from an observer. The Vf is simply a representation of knowledge about Px, suggesting how a subjective generally valid quantum metaphor for the TP might develop in future.