Dynamism =Any of various theories or philosophical systems that explainthe universe in terms of force or energy. {empiricism )-( rationalism}based on polaric unities

John Hunter/ Mesmer/Coleridge/Goethe/Hahnemann/Reich

dynamics [Pluralof dynamic, after earlier names of sciences in -ics, q.v.]

1. a. The branch of Physics whichtreats of the action of Force: in earlier use restricted to theaction of force in producing or varying motion, and thus opposedto Statics (which treats of rest or equilibrium under theaction of forces); more recently (see quots. 1863-67), the nameKinetics has been introduced for the former, Dynamics beingtaken in a more comprehensive (and more etymological) sense, toinclude Statics [sustentivepower] and Kinetics [generativepower]. But the earlier usage, in whichStatics and Dynamics are treated as co-ordinate, is still retainedby some physicists, and has largely influenced the popular andtransferred applications of the word and its derivatives. Alsocalled dynamic.

1863 Thomson & Tait Sketch of Elem. Dynamics Dynamics is the science which investigates the action of Force..Dynamics is divided into two parts, Statics and Kinetics.

1867 Nat. Philos. Keeping in view the proprieties of language, and following the example of the most logical writers, we employ the term Dynamics in its true sense as the science which treats of the action of force, whether it maintains relative rest, or produces acceleration of relative motion. The two corresponding divisions of Dynamics are thus conveniently entitled Statics and Kinetics.

dynamism[f. Gr. dtmali| power, force+ -ism. In mod.F. dynamisme.]

1. A philosophical system, theory,or doctrine, which seeks to explain the phenomena of the universeby some immanent force or energy.

Applied to an ancient doctrine of theIonic philosophers, who explained the motion of bodies by suchprinciples as love and hatred; to the doctrine of Leibnitz thatall substance involves force; and to modern theories that mechanicalenergy is substance, or that the doctrine of energy is sufficientto explain the constitution of the universe.

1857 W. Fleming Vocab. Philos. (1858) Dynamism, the philosophy of Leibnitz, that all substance involves force.

1866 Contemp. Rev. II To distinguish the dynamism of Goethe from that of Diderot, to show how this dynamism is related to the free pantheistic doctrine which emerged in Goethe's mind from the dogmatic system of..Spinoza.

1875 Lewes Probl. Life & Mind iv. iv. §77 II. Two great systems embrace all minor systems: Atomism and Dynamism..The Dynamist theory regards Matter as constituted by unextended centres of force.

1876 Manning in Contemp. Rev. Mr. Kirkman, as a champion of Dynamism, has challenged single-handed all Atomists and Materialists.

1891 tr. Didon's Jesus Christ The dynamism of Thales and Pherecydes gave place to the atomism of Democritus.

2. The mode of being of force or energy;operation of force. Now usu., energizing or dynamic action, energy,"drive".

1831 Carlyle in Froude Life in Lond. (1882) II. vii. These all build on mechanism; one spark of dynamism, of inspiration, were it in the poorest soul, is stronger than they all.

1874 Lewes Probl. Life & Mind I. That which by its definition is not substantial at all, but pure dynamism.

1880 Times 20 Nov.The seismograph on Mount Vesuvius indicates great subterranean dynamism.

1885 L. Oliphant Sympneumata Apparent miracle by the dynamism of touch.

1940 Economist 20 July 70 Admiral Yonai's Ministry was brought down by the Army simply on the grounds of 'insufficient dynamism'.

1951 R. Firth Elem. Social Org. v. The primitive artist had hardly anything like the theory of Êsthetic dynamism lying behind the use of the Chinese brush.

1955 P. Heron Changing Forms of Art The solid earth itself is far too convulsed to be really convincing in the long run as the solid earth. I enjoy these landscapes very much, but their unity is violated by so much dynamism.

1966 G. N. Leech Eng. in Advertising vi. 65 Board-room clichÈs which imply the dynamism, success, and health of the firm's activities.

dynamic[ad. F. dynamique (Leibnitz1692. Dict. Acad. 1762), ad. Gr. dtmalijæ| powerful,f. dtmali| power, strength.]

1847 J. Dwyer Princ. Hydraul. Engineer. The horse's power is principally used by Engineers in this country as a Dynamic unit.

1855 H. Spencer Princ. Psychol. (1872) II. vi. xi. We find light producing a dynamic effect..in those molecular re-arrangements which it works in certain crystals.

1860 Tyndall Glac. ii. xix.According to the dynamic view..heat is regarded as a motion.

3. transf. and fig.

a. Active, potent, energetic, effective,forceful.

1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. i. i, What was the secret of form or expression which gave the dynamic quality to her glance?

1878 Lecky Eng. in 18th C. I. i. 14 It [Greek Nous] has been the great dynamic agency in European civilisation.

5. Med.

a. Functional, in contradistinctionto organic; as in dynamicdisease.

b. With Hahnemann and his followers:Of the nature of some immaterial or 'spiritual' influence.

Attended with a morbid increase ofvital action, sthenic (obs.).

dynamic school: a name given to the Stahlians, or followersof Stahl, as attributing the vital phenomena to the operationof an internal force or power acting for the most part independentlyof external causes. (Syd. Soc. Lex.)

1834 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) IV. Dr. Stoker..has divided dropsies into two kinds, dynamic and adynamic.

1855 J. R. Reynolds Dis. Brain ix, The simple fact of convulsions is proof of dynamic (functional) disease.

1881 J. G. Glover in Encycl. Brit. XII. Underlying all his [Hahnemann's] system..was the idea that the causes of disease were impalpable, immaterial, spiritual, dynamic.

1882 Med. Temp. Jrnl. I. A dynamic narcosis of the ultimate fibres of sensation.

6. In the Kantian philosophy: Relatingto the reason of existence of an object of experience.

dynamic relations, the relations between objects as forming partsof one connected experience: viz. the relations of substance andaccident, of cause and effect, and of substances acting upon eachother. dynamic category, a category that expressesone of the dynamic relations. dynamic synthesis,a synthesis which is guided by the dynamic categories.

7. Relating to the existence or actionof some force or forces; applied esp. to a theory that accountsfor matter, or for mind, as being merely the action of forces:see dynamism 1.

dynamic theory of Kant, a theory according to which matter was conceivedto be constituted by two antagonistic principles of attractionand repulsion.

1817 Coleridge Biog. Lit. I. ix.We had both equal obligations to the polar logic and dynamic philosophy of Giordano Bruno.

dynamicist

One who studies dynamics.

1956 Nature 18 Feb. 321/1 It is particularly important that meteorologists (especially dynamicists) should develop the difficult studies of individual clouds.

3. Med. The theory of the origin of disease from changeor alteration of vital force. (Syd. Soc. Lex.)

5. Med. Functional: = dynamic5 a.

1861 T. J. Graham Pract. Med. Another element of disease in the dynamical condition of a part, appears to be an alteration in the relation between the tissues and the blood.

[from American Heritage Dictionary]

(a) One who studies or deals with dynamics;

(b) One who holds the doctrine of dynamism.

dynamistica., of, pertaining to, or of the nature of dynamism; accordingto the doctrine of dynamists.

3. Applied to inspiration conceivedas an endowing with divine power, in opposition to a 'mechanical'inspiration in which the medium is the mere tool or instrumentof the Deity.

1841 Myers Cath. Th. iii. xvi. The method in which it [Divine Influence] has been exerted on man has been dynamical rather than merely mechanical.

1846 Hare Mission Comf. (1850) Andrewes..was disposed to look at the work of the Spirit rather as mechanical, than as dynamical or organical.

1856 J. Macnaught Doctrine Inspir. vi. (1857) If a living man..be 'moved by the Spirit', it can, assuredly, only be by a strengthening, or enlarging, or adding to the number of the faculties of that living man - that is, by 'dynamical' inspiration.

cf. Hahnemann - Einwirkung - impinging action

1947 E. Bowen Coll. Impressions (1950) i. A life of inner dynamicism which covered, geographically, little space.

kinetics Thoseaspects of a particular process that relate to the rate at whichit occurs; the details of the way a process occurs, esp. as regardsits rate. Const. as sing.or pl.

1961 Federation Proc. XX. The kinetics of infection by the virus of foot-and-mouth disease was determined as a function of virus cell concentration.

homeostasis Alsohomeo-.[mod.L., f. homeo- + Gr. rs0ri|standing still, stationariness.]

The maintenance of a dynamicallystable state within a system by means of internal regulatoryprocesses that tend to counteract any disturbance of the stabilityby external forces or influences; the state of stability so maintained;spec.in Physiol., the maintenance of relatively constant conditionsin the body (e.g. as regards blood temperature) by physiologicalprocesses that act to counter any departure from the normal.

1926 W. B. Cannon in A. Pettit À Charles Richet The steady states of the fluid matrix of the body are commonly preserved by physiological reactions...Special designations are therefore appropriate:'homeostasis' to designate stability of the organism; 'homeostatic conditions' to indicate details of the stability; [etc.].

1955 L. R. Dice Man's Nature ix. The individual organism, to maintain its homeostasis (state of balance), will throw away not only water and salts, but even sugar if necessary.

1962 Lancet 6 Jan. These clinical indications of defective renal homeostasis suggest the need for a more thorough exploration of renal function.

1971 Nature 20 Aug. Drinking is essential for the homeostasis of body fluids.

Vitalism = The theory or doctrine that life processesarise from or contain a nonmaterial vital principle and cannotbe explained entirely as physical and chemical phenomena. It presupposesthe material and is based on a mystical belief system. Idealism.Aristotle/Wm Harvey/ Hans Driesch

Theory incapable of practice. A hypothetical assumption withouta living contact.

"electromagnetic waves" Maxwell's will not transmitmessages across the ocean, Hertz's will.

[ See Wilhelm Reich Character Analysis p 297]