Well if its good for our health, maybe we should all get some. Add it to our fitness regimen along with Physical Exercise, Dancing (which is more than physical exercise) Good Nutrition, and Laughter. Live long and prosper everybody!
Thanks Toetoise! Can you tell me more about this “placebo effect”. Why doesn’t it work on everything? When is its effect not possible?
So if we make ourself believe something, it can cause our brain to release hormones that result in healing effects for our bodies, about one third of the time. The mind is a fascinating area of study. The energy of thought changes the matter of the body. Its sorta reminiscent of Einsteins relationship between matter and energy, isn’t it? Once computer scientists develop a “reasoning engine”, I imagine it would figure out ways to repair itself too. As a matter of fact, who is to say that we are not reasoning computers developed by a superior being who worked in biologicals rather than metals?
So lets talk about what is true. One thing that is true is that I am hesitant to say much of anything is absolutely true, beyond the slightest shadow of a doubt. But here’s my big thing. Please do your best to argue against this truth, even if you agree with it.: Man desires to avoid pain and to achieve pleasure. (I got this one from one of Dali Lama’s books.)
I agree with it too. And this is the reason I believe. Its a pragmatic sort of thing. I believe because it helps me avoid pain and attain pleasure. I think the placebo affect is a confirmation of the validity of this way of thinking. But more than that, I just couldn’t give up my faith. I have been a believer my whole live. It is too much a part of me. My faith makes everything about my life a lot more special…yeah…meaningful, I guess. Do you think it easier for you to be a non-believer because you were raised that way? For you, what are the ill affects of faith and what are the benefits of disbelief? You must be avoiding pain and seeking pleasure by your disbelief, right?
You wrote there is no such thing as man, just men. (Now this would get very interesting in a conversation about God’s judgment.) But I agree. Yesterday I was reading about the 3 great truths of philosophy. The first was “I exist”. I had a problem with that for the exact same reason that you had a problem with “Man” in the quote. There is no “I” when you really consider it. What exists is Mankind. It should be “Mankind exists”, because what I call “I” is just a conglomeration of other people’s thoughts, ideas, cultures and what have you. Even my chromosomes are not really mine. They were given to me by many generations of ancestors that preceded me. Also, like Lev Tolstoy said, our every action is like throwing a rock into a still pool. The ripples go out and affect all other lives for all time. Also, the ripples that other people have made affect us. It almost like we are individual cells in a giant organism called mankind.
But getting back to truths. I did not agree with the other two “truths” of philosophy either. I’d explain if you were interested. “Truth” itself, seems to be a very rare, if non-existent commodity. Why do you hold belief in God to such a strict standard of truth when truth is not knowable? “What is truth” was not just Pontius Pilate’s question. Philosophers have echoed the question down through the ages.
But how can something beyond our reach be important? We can’t know truth. Why should we bust our asses trying to find it?
Why not just give it up and get on with the business of life; avoiding pain and attaining pleasure?
So you see nothing useful to be gained from belief in God? It wouldn’t help you avoid pain or gain pleasure?
It is self contradictory. We can’t know if the statement is true. And that is exactly what I meant. But really, aren’t you avoiding the original question?
Merry Holidays Tortoise. Grab yourself some happy!