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Originally Posted by Open Mind Paul that sounds curiously like holism and you are a physicalist? I don't know what you mean .....I think you have missed the point, I was asking how the placebo effect could have evolved.... |
What's it got to do with holism? What does "What were the evolutionary benefits to remaining sick?" have to do with the placebo effect? And why did the placebo effect have to evolve? Perhaps it is an accident.
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If our immune system can destroy the bacteria more effectively, why does it hold back and wait for a pill, belief or hope to work better?
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How do you know that the deterioration in effectiveness of cimetidine is due to the placebo effect? Shouldn't you verify this before running off on speculations about the evolution of the immune system? You do know that cimetidine is a histamine antagonist and so inhibits acid, right? It is not an antibiotic. Acid production is certainly linked to psychological factors.
~~ Paul