From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Wed Jul 11 2001 - 07:53:18 MDT
Michael Wiik wrote,
> I agree it's almost certainly a placebo effect, but am unsure about the
> lack of stress about dying being the reason. Lots of folks get comfort
> just from the fellowship in a church. Perhaps people with lots of
> friends live longer than people with few friends. Maybe it's the feeling
> that if some sort of personal tragedy (health, financial, etc) occurs,
> you will have support.
Of course, and good health (with accompanying good looks) helps people to live
longer, which in turn allows them to have lots of friends. Circular analysis?
Maybe. But there's a lot of interaction and feedback between cause and effect
involved as well.
Trying to use a particular aspect of the rich interplay of human social
organization (to the exclusion of other aspects) to prove validity of personal
belief, indicates the bias connected with such belief.
There's not just a placebo effect implied in the health benefits of
church-going. It may also involve a panacea effect, as believers attempt to
apply religiosity to solve all problems.
Stay hungry,
--J. R.
Useless hypotheses, etc.:
consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind, free will, qualia,
analog computing, cultural relativism, GAC, CYC, and ELIZA
We won't move into a better future until we debunk religiosity, the most
regressive force now operating in society.
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