chicagoTaiJi wrote:qi (氣) is a generic word which applies to many different things. Like "energy". No point in arguing about any of this.
It means different things in different systems or contexts...
For example: 天氣 (heaven/sky qi) is how you say "weather" in chinese
In medical terminology "qi" is also contextual, it could refer to a specific organ, system, or the combined systems as a whole.
That is why this argument could continue ad nauseum and still never get anywhere...
I agree with everything you wrote. But would like to ask the question: why did the people in the so called pre-scientific era call the weather "heaven qi" ?
IMO there are two different categories of Qi: gas/fluid related physical phenomena and vitality/energy related phenomena. But force and qi are definately not the same thing. That was my point.
CD