Experience Vs. Evidence

Ancient and modern medicine differ primarily in their approach to finding a cure- the former relied on experience and accumulated knowledge (tried and true method, if you will), whereas modern medicine uses chemistry and research to determine the therapeutic potential of a drug. As a result, the two are often distinguished as Experience vs. Evidence-based medicine.

Another important difference between ancient and modern medicine is that modern medicine uses targeted treatment of the specific illness whereas ancient medicine relied on holistic healing.

Experience Vs. Evidence- Based Medicine

While both are on opposite sides of the medical spectrum with modern medicine seeming far more logical and therefore reliable, modern medicine still lacks cures for many diseases that traditional medicines seemed to have a remedy for, including common ailments like the cold and stomach issues.

In fact, after years of dismissing ancient (mainly traditional eastern) medical practices as non-scientific, many medical researchers and scientists are now starting to embrace the fundamental principles and philosophy of traditional medicine. For instance, the concept of holistic healing rather than simply alleviating the symptoms of patients is gaining momentum in modern medicine. In fact, several drug formulations in use today are derived from herbal remedies used by our non-scientific ancestors including aspirin, curcumin and artemisinin. Clearly, thousands of years worth of experience counts for something even without solid evidence!

Sources:

https://yiviva.com/science/
http://heritage-key.com/ancient-and-modern-medicine.html

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