The Body
First published in 1858, Henry Gray wrote the original version of Gray's Anatomy. Subsequent additions continued with the 41st addition being published in September of 2015 with 1584 pages.
The American Association of Anatomists lists 7500 parts for the human body. This does not include the specialized cells, the different types of muscles and tissues, etc. Other researchers list 40,000+ enzymes, millions of brain neurons with billions of connections and trillions of cells to name a few. And then you have parts made up of smaller parts made up still of smaller parts. How many cells make up the parts, and how many molecules make up the cells, and how many atoms make up the molecules and how many particles make up the atoms. How far does all of this go? All of this appears to have begun after fertilization from a male, with a single cell within a female called the Ovum. The Ovum divided into two cells and then into 4 cells and that division continues for about 9 months, through the birth, and then for the entire life of a human being.
Since that first cellular division, the entire body developed in all directions simultaneously. Nowhere in this creative process can the beginning of anything be observed or determined because the Sperm(s) involved were alive as well as the Ovum before fertilization. In considering this small fact, it can be said that Life is on a continuum and cannot be traced back to a beginning in humans or in any other species. To describe the body as being made out of parts is not very accurate and may be actually done out of scientific convenience.
The Human Body is a closed ecological system with a tube running through it, at one end beginning with the mouth and nose. Enclosed primary by the skin, this system attempts to maintain its own temperature, blood and lymph pH, blood sugar levels and countless other life maintaining processes all of which are attributed to the functioning of the brain, part of which the five senses of seeing, hearing, tactile feeling, smelling and tasting are said to also be provided.
In this whole process there appears the physical necessity of consumption of air, water and of food. Does the quality of these make a difference? According to arbitrary educational systems provided to those who this may seem important, it does not, especially when it comes to the quality of functionality of the Body.
In the manufacturing sector the importance of the quality of what is used in the manufacturing process (with any product integrity) is considered the most important even above labor. The old saying “junk in, junk out” is of valuable consideration.
In the education of Medical Doctors a primary consideration is ignored and that is the quality of air, water and food and the influence that has on the functionality of the Body. About the only interest which is slowly developing, is with Medical Doctors at the personal level and in some unfortunate cases at their professional peril. The average diet in the United States today in comprised primarily (85%+) from food bi-products and to some extent from food-substitutes and not food as “defined” by Nature.