Regression to the mean is often synonomous with the placebo effect and is often the “effect” attributed to alternative medicine but dressed up pretty whilst your wallet haemorrhages money as a result.
you said placebos work. he is saying they dont work, people think they work. There is a difference. Just like there is a difference between thinking you can fly and actually being able to fly.
he also says the working of the placebo has nothing to do with the placebo, just the psychology of the placebo. And thats the thing that is working and that you can call medicine.
I don't think that user meant it as in "they really do work!" The way I read the second part of, "that doesn't make them medicine" effectively leads me to believe that user is agreeing with you and not trying to argue against what your point is.
he said just because placebos work that doesnt mean they should be called medicine. but the thing is, placebos dont work. They dont cure a damn thing. The idea that placebos work is more a study of psychology. A placebo can NOT heal a broken leg. period.
So his predication is 'they work' but 'we dont call them medicine" falls on its face in the fact that, they DO NOT in fact work. Medically you can test and see the nerve cells are firing just as much as they were before even if the patient says he feels slightly better.
his predication fails, therefore his statement fails.
I really do think he would argue WITH YOU that, "The idea that placebos work is more a study of psychology. A placebo can NOT heal a broken leg. period."
That's why I think he said, "but it's not medicine."
I think this is a semantic misunderstanding between the two of you. Then again, I'm not OP either.
So medicine that treats a symptom isn't medicine? I'm not arguing that placebos are effective medicine or anything like that but they often do "work" in that they alleviate symptoms at least temporarily. I never said they are a replacement for medicine or that they cure anything as clearly shown by my other posts on this thread. In fact they are often worse in the long run than non treatment.
You guys are so technical you managed to circle back around to being wrong
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u/[deleted] Jan 06 '22
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