[LINK] electromagnetic fields effect brain activity

[Alan L Tyree]

On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:21:32 +1100
Ivan Trundle <ivan at itrundle.com> wrote:

> 
> On 10/01/2007, at 10:52 AM, Stewart Fist wrote:
> 
> > Karl writes re placebo:
> >
> >> if they believe it will help them then it very likely WILL help  
> >> them, even if
> >> only by improving their perceived well-being.
> >
> > I dont' disagree at all.  But I think one of the most common  
> > misconceptions
> > about the use of a placebo (and the patient is not supposed to
> > know that it
> > is only a placebo)  is that the patient's feeling of well-being  
> > actually
> > contributes to the healing process.
> >
> > This is dubious in my opinion; it might effect/affect (Ivan??) the  
> > mood, but
> > I doubt it affects/effects the body.
> 
> Effect - noun
> 
> Affect - verb

Effect \Ef*fect"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Effected}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Effecting}.]
   1. To produce, as a cause or agent; to cause to be.
      [1913 Webster]

            So great a body such exploits to effect. --Daniel.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To bring to pass; to execute; to enforce; to achieve; to
      accomplish.
      [1913 Webster]

            To effect that which the divine counsels had
            decreed.                              --Bp. Hurd.
      [1913 Webster]

            They sailed away without effecting their purpose.
                                                  --Jowett (Th.
                                                  ).

   Syn: To accomplish; fulfill; achieve; complete; execute;
        perform; attain. See {Accomplish}.
        [1913 Webster]

	-- From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
v.0.48

Also, to effect payment.

> 
> ...though psychologists have tried hard to confuse this (I'm  
> qualified to talk about this) but in the context of what is being  
> discussed here, more confusing because we are debating emotional  
> 'fluency' and affective behaviours.
> 
> Internalised moods, feelings and well-being are influenced by a host  
> of factors, and these in turn do directly influence the body. Mental  
> states ARE recorded as having an effect on the body: but this is not  
> then presume that mental states will mitigate or reverse a medical  
> problem.
> 
> It's a complex issue, if only because we still don't properly  
> understand how pain, suffering, and an overall negative state all  
> have on an ill or broken body. Mitigation of pain alone can assist
> in recovery, and not just because of the physiological dampening of
> the transmitted signals. On the other hand, pain is actually a
> useful process in itself, to prevent further injury. We simply don't
> know the sum total. There is no conclusive research to date.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> > An extension of this "feeling of well-being" idea is the firmly- 
> > held-belief
> > in the general community that the bravery of certain people helps  
> > them cure
> > themselves of supposedly incurable diseases.
> 
> And we all know anecdotally that this simply isn't true.
> Nonetheless, I can speak anecdotally of those who have died around me
> - and can vouch for how quickly someone will die if they want to. But
> this is an extreme environment, and I'm not certain that we should  
> extrapolate too much. Others in the business of dealing with the  
> dying will tell similar stories, but our cultural beliefs will tell  
> us not to delve into this topic too far with people who are dying  
> (either expectedly, or not).
> 
> > This is never discussed truthfully in the media, because its not a
> > characterisation that anyone can vocally object to without looking  
> > like a
> > complete bastard.
> 
> Agreed, our social and cultural beliefs preclude this.
> 
> > However consider its corollary, which presumably is that those who  
> > die, do
> > so because of cowardice or lack-of-willpower in facing and
> > fighting their
> > disease.   I often wonder how the families of those who die think  
> > about this
> > implied characterisation of their loved ones.
> 
> Not a good corollary, as those dying express many emotions,
> sometimes all at once. It all gets very confusing at that time for
> those who are aware of their condition. Some are ready to die,
> prepared to accept it is a fate, but is it really cowardice or lack
> of willpower? A desire to die expresses willpower in a different way,
> and cowardice might be expressed in not wanting to die. It can be
> worse for bystanders, emotionally - who will interpret what they see
> in other ways again.
> 
> > Karl's condemnation of people who "exploit the credulous" however,  
> > seems to
> > under-rate this as a problem.  It is a multi-billion dollar problem
> > in Australia, and a multi-trillion dollar problem around the world.
> 
> True, too true.
> 
> iT
> 
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-- 
Alan L Tyree                    http://www2.austlii.edu.au/~alan
Tel: +61 2 4782 2670            Mobile: +61 427 486 206
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