Now these Chinese types are bright but as far as I know there is no scientific evidence for this Chi energy. (no mainstream scientific evidence anyway. It does sound very similar to Reich's Orgone life energy, force - whatever)

New scientific discoveries aren't mainstream. Einstein's theories weren't mainstream before he presented them. What's the alternative to "mainstream scientific evidence"? If Chi energy is real, can it be empirically demonstrated?

I would argue that Reich's Orgone "discovery" is pseudo-science, but please correct me if you know of evidence to the contrary.

The human body has paths that chi flows along.

What precisely is chi? Can it be measured? If not, why not? Is it science, or religion, or something else?

There is nothing supernatural about it.

If it's not supernatural, then it can be empirically proven to exist, right? If not, why not?

Matter = energy = chi.

Matter and energy can be shown scientifically to exist. Can chi? If not, why not?

Chinese medicine works.

Could you please provide an example of a specific ailment that Chinese medicine undoubtedly can cure/treat?

Psychology is obviously massively significant and I am pretty sure that people can psychosomatically affect their own bodies

True. Scientists and those with little faith in science agree that there is a mind body connection.

Of course, Western medicine does not recognize things such as Qi because it is not inherent in our thought system.

I don't understand this. Western medicine only recognizes things "inherent in our thought system?" Was the polio vaccine inherent in our thought system? Organ transplants?

The more I read about advanced science, such as Quantum Mechanics/Theory, the more I see that our universe is one that we are not even close to understanding correctly.

May I ask what it means to understand something "correctly"? Is what you've read about Quantum Mechanics correct, or incorrect, or something else?

There is a certain underlying reality to it - acupuncture, for example, certainly works, and I've been in the martial arts long enough to know that there are a lot of seemingly impossible tricks that come down to nerves and muscles. Is there Some Other Force? Harder to say, since some things associated with it are clearly explicable scientifically and some aren't.

There are also a huge number of charlatans associated with such practice, as is true across the martial arts. You can't get a fucking Judo lesson without tripping over some useless fucking belt mill tiger-and-dragon bullshit.

Glittering Prizes wrote:This guy is very impressive (wait for the end; and don't say anything about camera tricks).

No camera trick. He hid a squib in the paper while crumpling it up. You can see the sparks and smoke jet as it igmites. Pure bullshit.

Harder to say, since some things associated with it are clearly explicable scientifically and some aren't.

Could you provide an example of something associated with Chi that is not scientifically explainable? Could it be that some well trained, disciplined humans are capable of extraordinary physical prowess because of natural abilities alone?

newberry wrote:

The human body has paths that chi flows along.

What precisely is chi? Can it be measured? If not, why not? Is it science, or religion, or something else?

John C3 wrote:Matter = energy = chi.

There is nothing supernatural about it.

If it's not supernatural, then it can be empirically proven to exist, right? If not, why not?

Matter = energy = chi.

Matter and energy can be shown scientifically to exist. Can chi? If not, why not?

I'm not sure how one would go about this, but the focusing and manipulating of the natural energy that is extant in the human body - in fact, which is the human body - is a simpler process than it may seem, and when you learn ta'i chi or whatever, this fact is brought home; that it's simple and should be the easiest thing in the world to have and use, but we mostly lose touch with the flow of chi as we get older. Have you ever seen a baby hang on to an adult finger and be lifted off the ground? That's chi. They haven't yet learnt to block the energy flowing through their body. Ta'i chi is the means by which an adult can get back to this natural condition.

Chinese medicine works.

Could you please provide an example of a specific ailment that Chinese medicine undoubtedly can cure/treat?

By Chinese medicine, I'm not talking about powdered rhino horn or bear bile or whatever. I think a lot of that stuff is akin to old wive's tales or peasant folklore. But acupuncture, acupressure and these kind of things can have a dramatic effect, as they are used to correct the balance and flow of energy in the body. Specific ailments that can be treated successfully would be anything that relates to these kinds of imbalance, so, skin conditions, nervous conditions, allergies, etc, but this is just scratching the surface. This stuff is powerful.

Posting youtube party tricks doesn't help the case here.

pseudo-religious mambo jehambo for the credulous.

Don't knock it til you've tried it, hot boy.

John C3 wrote:Don't knock it til you've tried it, hot boy.

down,
down/forward,
forward + strong punch


wowsers!

newberry wrote:Matter and energy can be shown scientifically to exist. Can chi? If not, why not?

there's no proof for psyche/spirit/soul or consciousness either. but saying that they don't exist would be....erm...funny?

newberry wrote:Could you please provide an example of a specific ailment that Chinese medicine undoubtedly can cure/treat?

so millions of people who get better due to TCM are just mistaken?

though the ostentation of chi in martial arts is pretty impressive, that's probably the most "westernized" part of it.

bassdriver wrote:

newberry wrote:Matter and energy can be shown scientifically to exist. Can chi? If not, why not?

there's no proof for psyche/spirit/soul or consciousness either. but saying that they don't exist would be....erm...funny?

I'm summoning up all my chi and focussing it on turning off your computer.