IN8 THOTS Green Book Series Section 3 of 8, The Science of Chiropractic

IN8 THOTS Green Book Series, Section 3 of 8 The Science of Chiropractic “Universal Intelligence: The Laws That Govern Life”

In Section 3 of the IN8 THOTS Green Book Series, Dr. Joe Sheppard explores one of the most foundational concepts in Dr. B.J. Palmer’s The Science of Chiropractic—Universal Intelligence. This episode examines how Dr. B.J. Palmer viewed the universe as an orderly, organized system governed by consistent natural laws and why he believed recognizing those laws was essential to understanding chiropractic.

Dr. Joe explains the distinction between Universal Intelligence and Innate Intelligence, demonstrating how Dr. B.J. Palmer described Universal Intelligence as the organizing principle of the universe and Innate Intelligence as its expression within living organisms. Through historical context and thoughtful discussion, the episode explores how these ideas shaped chiropractic philosophy and laid the groundwork for understanding the body's remarkable ability to coordinate, regulate, and adapt.

Listeners will also discover how many of Dr. B.J. Palmer's observations parallel modern concepts in systems biology, neuroplasticity, homeostasis, and complex adaptive systems. While today's scientific language has evolved, the episode highlights the enduring relevance of viewing the human body as an integrated, communicating, and self-regulating organism rather than a collection of isolated parts.

Throughout the discussion, Dr. Joe encourages chiropractors, students, and patients to approach the Green Books with curiosity, intellectual humility, and a lifelong commitment to learning. More than simply presenting philosophical concepts, this episode challenges listeners to develop a greater appreciation for the order, intelligence, and remarkable design expressed throughout nature and within every human body.

Key Topics:

• Understanding Universal Intelligence in chiropractic philosophy
• The difference between Universal Intelligence and Innate Intelligence
• Natural law, organization, and order in the universe
• Historical context of Dr. B.J. Palmer's philosophy
• Systems biology, neuroplasticity, and modern scientific parallels
• The body as an integrated, adaptive system
• The importance of observation, curiosity, and lifelong learning
• Why Universal Intelligence remains relevant to chiropractic today

This episode builds upon the Major Premise introduced in Section 2 and prepares listeners for the next chapter in The Science of Chiropractic series, where Dr. Joe will explore Innate Intelligence—the intelligence within every living organism—and its central role in chiropractic philosophy.

Stay specific. Stay connected. And keep thinking from Above-Down, Inside-Out.

Transcript

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Hello. This is Innate Thoughts. The Green Book Series The Science of Chiropractic Section 3 of 8. Universal Intelligence, the Laws That Govern Life. Welcome back to Innate Thoughts, the podcast dedicated to preserving and exploring the timeless wisdom of the Palmer Green Books. I'm Dr. Joe Shepard. In our last episode, we explored the major premise, the philosophical foundation upon which Dr. BJ Palmer built chiropractic. We discussed why every science begins with first principles and why Dr. BJ believed chiropractic required a framework that explained not only what chiropractors do, but why they do it. Today, we move deeper into one of the most discussed and often misunderstood concepts in chiropractic philosophy universal intelligence. For many chiropractors, these words are familiar. For others, they can sound abstract or difficult to define. Some hear the phrase and immediately think of philosophy. Others think spirituality. Still others wonder there is any place for such a concept in modern healthcare. Our goal today is not to debate beliefs. Our goal is to understand what doctor BJ Palmer meant when he used these words and why he considered universal intelligence to be the starting point for understanding chiropractic. Like every green book discussion in this series, we're going to explore the historical content, the philosophical meaning, and how these ideas continue to influence chiropractic thinkers today. Before we define universal intelligence, let's step back and ask a very simple question. Why does the universe appear so orderly? Every morning the sun rises. The seasons follow predictable cycles. The planets move in precise orbits. The laws of physics remain remarkably consistent. Water behaves according to predictable properties. Gravity operates whether we acknowledge it or not. Throughout history, scientists have been fascinated by the order found in nature. Rather than seeing the universe as random chaos, they observed patterns, relationships, consistency, predictability. These observations became the basis for scientific discovery.

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BJ Palmer admired that search for order. He believed chiropractic should also begin by recognizing that nature operates according to principles. One of the reasons doctor BJ introduced the concept of universal intelligence was to explain why the universe functions with such remarkable consistency. In chiropractic philosophy, universal intelligence is presented as the organized principle responsible for order throughout creation. Whether one interprets the philosophically, metaphorically, or spiritually, the important point is this. Dr. BJ believed that order precedes organization. Purpose precedes function. Natural law governs the universe. This was his starting point. Without order, there could be no science, because science depends upon predictable relationships. If gravity worked day to day but diff disappeared the next, the engineering would be impossible. If chemical reactions change randomly, chemistry could never develop. Science is possible precisely because the universe demonstrates remarkable consistency. Dr. BJ believes chiropractic should recognize that same consistency. It's important to understand that doctor BJ Palmer was writing down during a period when discussions about natural law were common among philosophics and scientists alike. Long before computers, genetics, or functional MRI scanners existed, scholars were asking profound questions. Why does life organize itself? Why does nature follow consistent patterns? Why do living organisms develop with such extraordinary precision? Different disciplines offered different explanations. Biology emphasized development. Physics described fundamental forces. Chemistry explained molecular interactions. Philosophy explored first causes, but doctor BJ Palmer entered the conversation from the perspective of chiropractic. His question was not simply how does the spine move? His question was much larger. What principle explains life itself? That question shaped nearly every green book that he wrote. One of the most important distinctions doctor BJ Palmer made was between universal intelligence and innate intelligence. Although the two terms are closely connected, they are not identical. Universal intelligence refers to the organizing principle governing all matter throughout the universe. Innate intelligence refers to the specific expression of that organized principle within the living organism. Think of it this way. The laws governing gravity apply everywhere, but gravity expresses itself differently depending upon the object involved. Likewise, doctor BJ believed there were universal principles governing all creation while living organisms expressed those principles uniquely through life. This distinction becomes increasingly important as we continue through this green book. Perhaps one of the reasons universal intelligence is often misunderstood today is because modern scientific language has evolved. Researchers now describe organization through systems biology, information theory, genetics, epigenetics, cellular signaling, complex adaptive systems, network physiology. These disciplines use different terminology than doctor BJ Palmer. Yet many continue asking similar questions. How do complex systems organize themselves? How do billions of cells coordinate activity? How does information move throughout living organisms? How do biological systems maintain stability while continuously adapting? The language difference. The curiosity remains remarkably similar. One of the fascinating developments in modern science is the recognition that living systems display extraordinary levels of organization. Consider embryotic development. From a single fertilized cell emerges a complete human being heart, brain, eyes, skin, bones, muscles, nerves, organisms. Every tissue develops according to remarkably precise timing. Scientists continue investigating how these processes occur, yet no one disputes their extraordinary complexity. doctor BJ Palmer looked at those observations and concluded that life expresses organization rather than randomness. That observation became foundational to chiropractic philosophy. Another reason universal intelligence remains important is because it encourages chiropractors to think beyond isolated parts. Modern healthcare has made tremendous advances through specialization. Cardiology studies the heart. Neurology studies the nervous system, endocrinology studies hormones. Orthopedics studies bones and joints. Each specialty contributes valuable knowledge, but doctor BJ continually reminded chiropractors to remember the whole person. Every system communicates. Every organ influences another. Every tissue participates within an integrated organism. Today, systems biology increasingly recognizes these interactions. Rather than viewing organs independently, research it researchers examine communication between the networks. Again, the terminology has changed. The appreciation for integration continues to grow. One of my favorite aspects of studying the green books is realizing that doctor BJ Palmer consistently challenged chiropractors to become observers. He wanted doctors to notice patterns, to ask questions, to avoid becoming satisfied with superficial explanations. He believed great chiropractors remained curious throughout their careers. That lesson may be just as valuable today as any individual philosophical concept. Healthcare continues evolving. Research expands daily. Technology advances rapidly. The chiropractor who remains curious will continue to grow. The chiropractor who stops asking questions eventually stops learning. As we continue exploring universal intelligence, I encourage you not to become distracted by terminology alone. Instead, ask yourself, what was BJ Palmer trying to communicate? He observed remarkable order throughout nature. He observed extraordinary coordination within living organisms. He believed those observations reflected enduring principles worthy of careful study. Whether one agrees with every conclusion he reached, his commitment to understanding life deserves thoughtful consideration. There is another reason this discussion matters. The way we view life influences the way we care for people. If the body is viewed merely as a collection of mechanical parts, healthcare naturally emphasizes repair. If the body is viewed as an integrated adaptive organism, healthcare begins asking additional questions about communication, regulation, and function. Chiropractic has traditionally emphasized that second perspective, not because it ignores structure, but because it recognizes that structure and function continually influence one another. This perspective remains one of chiropractic's most distinctive contributions. So how does universal intelligence relate to chiropractic? Why did BJ Palmer devote so much attention to this idea? And what practical value does it have for today's chiropractor? Well, one of the remarkable qualities about doctor BJ Palmer was his ability to think in layers. He rarely looked at only the immediate problem. Instead, he continually asked deeper questions. If a patient demonstrated healing, what allows the healing to occur, he would ask. If the tissue repairs themselves, what coordinates that repair? If the nervous system regulates countless processes simultaneously, what principles govern that organization? These questions led doctor BJ Palmer to conclude that chiropractic should never focus solely on the spine. The spine matters because of its relationship to the nervous system. The nervous system matters because of its relationship to living organisms, and the living organism exists within the universe governed by consistent natural laws. For doctor BJ, these ideas formed one continuous chain of reasoning. This is where universal intelligence naturally leads us toward innate intelligence, which we'll explore in much greater detail during our next episode. Dr. BJ Palmer described innate intelligence as the expression of universal intelligence within a living body. Think of universal intelligence as a broader framework of natural order. Innate intelligence was that order expressed through life. One describes the laws governing the universe. The other describes the intelligence coordinating the living organism. Whether you interpret these ideas philosophically or through modern biological concepts, the relationship is important. Life is not isolated from nature. Life functions within nature. The body does not create natural law, it operates according to it. That distinction became one of the cornerstones of chiropractic philosophy. One of the reasons doctor BJ Palmer emphasized these concepts was to encourage chiropractors to respect the body's remarkable capacity for self regulation. Think about everything happening inside you at this very moment. Your heart adjusts its rate with without conscious effort. Your lungs continuously exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. Your immune system identifies threats, hormones are released in price amounts. Temperature is regulated. Blood pressure adapts. Balance is maintained. Millions of neurological signals travel throughout your body every second. No conscious effort is required. These extraordinary processes remind us that life is continuously coordinating itself. Modern physiology explains many of these mechanisms through a feedback systems, neuroregulation, endocrine signaling, and homeostasis. doctor BJ Palmer used different language, but he recognized the same remarkable organization. Today, scientists often describe the human body as a complex adaptive system. That phrase is worth considering. Complex because countless components interact simultaneously. Adaptive because the body constantly responds to changing internal and external environments. System because every component influences each other. Those descriptions resonate with one of Dr. BJ Palmer's central observations. The body functions as an integrated whole. No organ exists in isolation. No system functions independently. Everything communicates, everything adapts, everything participates in maintaining life. For chiropractors, that reinforces the importance of thinking beyond symptoms. It reminds us to appreciate the entire person. Another lesson we can take from universal intelligence is humility. The more we study biology, the more we realize how much remains unknown. Despite extraordinary advances in neuroscience, genetics, immunology, and physiology, research continue making new discoveries every year. That should inspire curiosity rather than certainty. doctor BJ Palmer himself continued refining his thinking throughout his career. He never believed chiropractic had reached the end of discovery. He expected future generations to continue learning. That expectation still continues today. Healthcare evolves, technology evolves, research evolves, great chiropractors evolve, with them while remaining grounded in enduring principles. Universal intelligence also reminds us to appreciate the remarkable consistency of natural law. Gravity does not pause because we disagree with it. Governing laws of physiology do not change based upon our opinion. Nature remains dependable. One of the responsibilities of science is discovering those dependable relationships. One of the responsibilities of chiropractic is understanding how those relationships influence human health and function. That pursuit requires observation, study, critical thinking, humility, and lifelong learning. Those qualities define excellent clinicians regardless of their specialty. One question I often encourage students to ask is this What is the body trying to accomplish? That single question changes perspective. Instead of immediately viewing every symptom as an enemy, we begin asking whether the body may be adapting to protect itself. Instead of assuming dysfunction represents failure, we ask whether it reflects an attempt to maintain balance under difficult circumstances. Modern pain science increasingly recognizes that pain itself is an output of the nervous system influenced by many factors. Adaptation is complex. Human biology is complex. Dr. BJ Palmer encouraged chiropractors to appreciate that complexity while never losing sight of the body's remarkable intelligence. It is also important to recognize that chiropractic philosophy has always encouraged responsibility. If the body possesses extraordinary adaptive capacity, then our choices matter. Movement matters, sleep matters, nutrition matters, stress matters, relationships matter, environment matters. The nervous system constantly processes information from all of these influences. Chiropractic does not exist separately from healthy living. It complements it. Specific chiropractic care, healthy habits, thoughtful movement, proper nutrition, restorative sleep, and emotional resilience all contribute to supporting the body's ability to adapt. That broader perspective makes chiropractic part of a lifelong wellness journey rather than simply a response to pain. As we reflect on universal intelligence, I believe one lesson rises above all others wonder. The green books continually encourage us to stand in awe of life itself. The more we learn, the more remarkable the human body appears. The nervous system contains billions of neurons. The immune system remembers previous exposures. The brain reorganizes through neuroplasticity. Cells communicate through astonishing biochemical networks. Life is extraordinary. doctor BJ Palmer never wanted chiropractors to lose. That sense of amazement. Because wonder fuels curiosity. Curiosity fuels learn. And learning improves patient care. Perhaps that is why these green books continue attracting readers nearly a century after they were written. Not because every sentence represents modern scientific terminology, but because they encourage us to ask enduring questions. How does life organize itself? How does the body coordinate function? What allows adaptation? How can chiropractors better understand and support the remarkable intelligence expressed through every human being? Those questions remain just as relevant today as they were in BJ Palmer's lifetime. As we conclude today's episode, I'd like you to leave you with one final thought. Every scientific discovery begins with observation. Every philosophical insight begins with curiosity. Every great profession grows through thoughtful reflection. Dr. BJ Palmer challenged chiropractors to become observers of life, not merely practitioners of technique. He wanted us to notice the extraordinary organization surrounding us every single day. The rhythm of the seasons, the precision of biology, the coordination of the nervous system, the resilience of the human body. Those observations inspired his philosophy. Whether you fully embrace every conclusion or continue exploring these ideas, the invitation remains the same. Observe carefully, think deeply, remain curious, never stop learning, because chiropractic at its best is a lifelong pursuit of understanding life itself. On our next episode, we'll move into the universal to the personal as we examine one of the defining concepts in chiropractic philosophy innate intelligence, the intelligence within. We'll explore how doctor BJ Palmer believed every living organism expresses an internal coordinating intelligence, how that concept shaped a profession, and how modern neuroscience and physiology continued to deepen our appreciation for the body's remarkable capacity to regulate, heal, and adapt. Thank you for joining me on another episode of Innate Thoughts. I'm Dr. Joe Shepherd. Until next time, continue reading, continue studying, continue observing, continue asking questions, because great chiropractors are never finished learning. Thank you for joining me on another episode of Innate Thoughts. If today's discussion strengthened your understanding of chiropractic philosophy, please follow the podcast and share this episode with one chiropractor, student, or philosophy minded person. Your recommendation is the greatest way we can preserve and share the principle with the next generation. Join me next week as we continue our journey through the Green Books and uncover another timeless principle that remains just as relevant today. Until then, keep reading the books, keep discussing the philosophy, keep applying the principles, keep asking questions, keep understanding. And I'm a doctor Joe Shepherd, and this is Innate Thoughts, where we just don't read the green books, we preserve their wisdom, we live their principles, we pass them on. Stay specific, stay connected, and keep thinking from above down and inside out.