The Placebo Effect - Self Deception at its Finest

Joe Jenkins (joe_jenkins@yahoo.com)
Wed, 9 Jun 1999 10:30:41 -0700 (PDT)

Given the principles of extropians and other transhumans, by our very nature, we seek to systematically eliminate all placebo effects one by one, till we are left with none. Yet our biology seems to count on the presence of this effect in order to maintain good health and/or recover from negative health. This has been positively shown in many scientific studies. I see this as a conflict of interest in the results of our long term genetic evolution and the direction our goals are leading us to in our short term memetic evolution. As such, it would eventually be desirable to eliminate the placebo effect from our biology and/or substrate of reinstantiation. In the mean time, any ideas on how to have our cake and eat it too?

Joe Jenkins
jenkins@yahoo.com

"I not only believe we _should_ tamper with Mother Nature, I think mother wants us to." Unknown



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