A Study on the Methodology for Establishing an Integrative Medicine System Combining Korean Medicine and Western Medical Science

This study investigated integration methodologies to foster academic responses and development of Korean medicine with the modern medical science under the scientistic shifts of the contemporary medical market. The fundamental principle for an integrative understanding methodology lies not in the problem of incommensurability, but rather in overcoming it through the process of adjusting the scope of observation and recognition of subjects, followed by comparative and consilient interpretation to identify the common basis of phenomena. First, the structural and functional foundations are presented as common constituent elements of both medicine. Within this, structure is categorized into matter, visceral organs, connective tissue, sensory organs, and communication-regulation systems, thereby sharing a structure platform between Korean and Western medicine. Where direct corresponding terms or concepts are absent, such as Qi(氣) and Ying(營), Wei(衛), and Shen(神), conceptual interfaces should be created for mutual interpretation. The seven core idea of Korean medicine are Taegeuk, Yin-Yang, Three poles(三才), Four types (四象), Five phases(五行), Three yin three yang(三陰三陽), and Human-nature correspondence theory. They are presented with various explanatory models. As an example of Yin-Yang model, the double-layer balance model, internal-external Yin-Yang model, globe Yin-Yang model can enhance the efficiency of explanation in the education and clinical practice of Korean medicine theory and be significantly utilized for the consilience of the two medicines.