Integrative physiology: some texts and methods of integrative study.

The development of the integrative dimensions of physiology will require texts and forms of study that differ from those to which we have become accustomed in the areas of specialization. The following two types of texts lie at the heart of integrative study: framework statements and case histories. Framework statements are scientific aphorisms that summarize integrative insights; ordered chains of these statements form conceptual frameworks that stimulate integrative dialogue and thought. Case histories are stories that portray the events in the life of a living being, generally human. The nature of these texts, how framework statements are created, and methods of how texts of this kind may be used in group dialogues are discussed.