Guest guest Posted August 1, 2001 Report Share Posted August 1, 2001 I thought about something really curious regarding the placebo effect. Now, when a person takes sugar pills under the assumption they are something more potent, he or she may still see gains greater than if he or she had taken nothing. We attribute the gain in LBM to 'the mind.' This we deem the placebo effect (a dubious explanation, imho, as it seems to imply a mind-body dichotomy). In any event, I wonder about OTC quasi nootropics such as ginko, vinopocentine, phosacholine, etc. My dad swears by the stuff he purchases from the Life Extension Foundation. He claims that such pills helps him think more clearly, remain extra attentive, and perceive with greater clarity. Let's assume - and not merely for the sake of argument - let's really assume that the increased focus and other positive benefits from the " ABC Mind Mix " comes as a result of the placebo effect. My first question, could we realistically make this assumption? One might claim we could not, because the placebo effect stems from the mind. Hence, we cannot have the mind fooling (improving) itself. Such would be analogous using your exceptionally strong arms to pick yourself up by your own hair. Earlier, I mentioned that the placebo effect is itself dubious. This is because a human organism is one whole biological entity. There is no per se distinction between the body and mind. We are simply a being. If this is the case, how can one part of the organism act against another part? Or is there a clear separation between 'body' and 'mind' - and 'spirit'? Christian Cernovich Springfield, Illinois USA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2001 Report Share Posted August 2, 2001 , I cannot offer a scientific explanation for the so-called placebo effect, however I can tell you that I have seen it in action. I recall many times while on long road trips with my parents my dad would drink Pepsi or the like for the caffein to keep him awake or to wake him up a bit from a drouse. One time we were out of Pepsi, so my mom gave him a glass of root beer - caffein free root beer. About 40 minutes later he was wide awake and alert. Placebo effect or sugar rush? Tommy O'Brien Grand Rapids, MI USA > I thought about something really curious regarding the placebo > effect. Now, when a person takes sugar pills under the assumption > they are something more potent, he or she may still see gains greater > than if he or she had taken nothing. > > We attribute the gain in LBM to 'the mind.' This we deem the placebo effect (a dubious explanation, > imho, as it seems to imply a mind-body dichotomy). In any event, I > wonder about OTC quasi nootropics such as ginko, vinopocentine, > phosacholine, etc. My dad swears by the stuff he purchases from the > Life Extension Foundation. He claims that such pills helps him think > more clearly, remain extra attentive, and perceive with greater > clarity. Let's assume - and not merely for the sake of argument - > let's really assume that the increased focus and other positive > benefits from the " ABC Mind Mix " comes as a result of the placebo effect. > > My first question, could we realistically make this assumption? One > might claim we could not, because the placebo effect stems from the > mind. Hence, we cannot have the mind fooling (improving) itself. > Such would be analogous using your exceptionally strong arms to pick > yourself up by your own hair. > > Earlier, I mentioned that the placebo effect is itself dubious. This > is because a human organism is one whole biological entity. There is > no per se distinction between the body and mind. We are simply a > being. If this is the case, how can one part of the organism act > against another part? Or is there a clear separation between 'body' > and 'mind' - and 'spirit'? > > Christian Cernovich > Springfield, Illinois USA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2001 Report Share Posted August 2, 2001 Christian Cernovich wrote: My first question, could we realistically make this assumption? One might claim we could not, because the placebo effect stems from the mind. Hence, we cannot have the mind fooling (improving) itself. Such would be analogous using your exceptionally strong arms to pick yourself up by your own hair. Wayne Hill follows up: Not at all. I can improve the workings of my mind by concentrating intensely on individual ideas, organizing my thoughts about many ideas, mulling things over, or just plain ignoring it all (which produces some of my best insights). Although the mind is so complex that it is difficult to say what it can or can't do, it most certainly can improve itself. - Wayne Hill Westborough, MA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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