The Placebo Effect Shows That the Mind Is Real
The placebo effect — one of the best attested effects in medicine — just means that you will get better if you think you will. That, of course, is a forbidden concept because it means that immaterial things like ideas — or souls — are real. Which makes sense when you consider a recent finding, that the placebo effect works even when patients know it’s a fake, as in the case of open label placebos (OLPs): OLPs have become a source of fascination, and some consternation, in the medical community in recent years. They seem to work in some cases, but no one can explain why. A 2021 paper in Scientific Reports found that “OLPs appear to be a promising Read More ›