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ISLAMIC MEDICAL EDUCATION RESOURCES-04

0708-The Biological Miracle Of The Human Body I: Perfection, Optimality, and Incomparability

Background reading material for a PPSD session for Year 1 Semester 1 medical students on Wednesday 29th August 2007 by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr.

1.0 CONCEPTS

God’s creation is perfect. God is the best creator. He perfected everything He made. He made humans in the best image. The process of perfection went through four stages: initial creation, making due proportions, balancing, and making the best image. One view which is that the biological perfection of the human body was created de novo and did not arise by evolution. Other views say that biological perfection was achieved through various stages of evolution. All what was created has a purpose. This applies to the whole organism or its constituent tissues and cells. Order, harmony, and perfection are part of predetermination are not accidental. They could not have arisen by chance. The constant physical laws operate in both inanimate and biological systems. Every human is unique and is different from everybody else. The human is created in the best and optimal fashion and all biological systems are optimal. Change is governed by natural laws. There is a balance between constancy and change. Cloning, genetic engineering, and selective breeding are not de novo creations and can not be compared to God’s creations. No human or any other being can create new life. Whereas God’s creation is perfect, human actions are imperfect.

 

2.0 MANIFESTATIONS OF PERFECTION IN ANATOMY

Manifestations of perfection and optimality are found in all medical disciplines. In anatomy, for example, we find parity of gender, parity of organs, symmetry( both circular and lateral symmetry), laterality of left and right, adaptation of structure to function, consistency and predictability, and orderly change (staged, anticipated, and protective measures against mistakes).

 

3.0 MANIFESTATIONS OF PERFECTION IN PHYSIOLOGY and BIOCHEMISTRY

Manifestations of perfection and optimality in physiology, biochemistry, & pharmacology are: the human organism functioning as a single entity, correlation between anatomy and physiology, repeatability/replicability, specificity, specialization, co-operation, a hierarchy of importance, information processing/perception, and reserve capacity in organs and compensation for overload. The complex human organism has few basic building blocks: amino acids, monosacharides, and fatty acids. The discovery of the periodic table of elements is one of the strong indicators that there is order in the universe. Metabolism of new synthetic molecules is a miracle of creation that needs appreciation. The finding that synthetic molecules can be metabolized by the biological systems indicates the existence of a unifying scheme of creation based on physical laws in the universe.

 

Discussion questions

1.      11. How do the structure and function of the cell manifest perfection and optimality

2.      Explain parity, symmetry, and laterality in human structure

3.      Explain existence of complexity alongside simplicity

4.      Explain how adaptations and variations manifest perfection and optimality

5.      Explain how orderly changes manifest perfection and optimality

15.  Explain the concept of the human body being one physiological entity

6.      Explain the correlation between anatomy and physiology

7.      Explain how repeatability/replicability in physiology manifest perfection

8.      How does physiological anticipation manifest perfection and optimality

9.      Explain how chemical structure and chemical reactions manifest perfection

ŠProfessor Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr. August 2007