Faculty? I mean the university rather than the human kind. Well, both. Over at Hippocrates Got Lost, we were talking about hospital chaplains: ostensibly the conundrum of who should pay them. This has led to a discussion. We all agree that they help the patients get better, or give them palliative comfort. So this led to the question “How?”
Scientifically, it’s called the placebo effect, said one commenter—and none of us have yet denied that. Perhaps it’s a discussion for another day. This is an extract from my comment:
If it were my bag to be an academic high-up in university administration, I would love to start a prestigious department of “Placebo Studies”. I don’t know what faculty it would fit into, and what name it would bear. “Miracles and Wonders” would be good.
It would be very dynamic because under the one roof would be a rainbow alliance of sceptics and practitioners, atheists and mystics; thrashing out the wheat from the chaff like students in the first (12th-century) universities—Paris, Bologna, Cambridge etc. Only in their case it was the ongoing dispute between Nominalists and Realists, corresponding roughly to Aristotelean versus Platonic.
Asclepius responded:
Where do I sign up?! I’m very much of the opinion that the best academic progress comes from putting two opposing ideas in a box and seeing what comes of having them interact.
I saw that we might have something here. Who needs to be an academic high-up in university administration, when we have the University of Blogspot ready to start the faculties and departments of our choice? Has there ever been a time since the twelfth century when spontaneous disputation, open to young and old, has been more possible, prevalent, universal and vital?
I propose a blog with a team of members who may post, and someone who’ll correct members’ apostrophe placement where necessary; hoping we’ll attract the passing trade of commenters from somewhere in the wired universe whose disputations will provide the lifeblood.
I propose a strict editorial neutrality between scientific evidence-based scepticism and subjective reportage of experienced phenomena. The term “placebo effect” pulls strongly over on the sceptical side of the balance, I believe; so it wouldn’t be practical as a title. Here’s my evidence, from Wikipedia’s Placebo (disambiguation) page:
Placebo, a treatment without intrinsic therapeutic value, but administered as if it were a therapy, either in medical treatment or in clinical trials
That is not the agreed scope of our school of disputation, but a permissible point of view to be argued within it. The agreed scope would be something like “Something unexplained happens: what is it, how valuable is it, how and when does it work?” It would not be about the experience of researchers, drug companies or medical practitioners comparing prescription drugs with sugar-pills. Their negative bias is irrefutable.
I confess I have ulterior motives for starting a separate Faculty in the fertile plains of the Blogosphere, beside the River of Oblivion. It’s to placate Ghetufool, to whose approval I am addicted and whose scorn makes me flinch like a whipped donkey. Recently he wrote (I’ve corrected his spelling and punctuation, as usual):
“Spirituality baffles me, it irritates me. . . . I started reading Vincent’s blog when he was not that spiritual. Now I cannot dump him, though I wish to.”
There. Satisfied now, Gf?
Comments
Darkwinter
Echoing Asclepius’ original remark…Where do I sign up?
Chris
Sounds potentially interesting, will be watching this space
V
Most illnesses are psychosomatic in nature anyway. Or the cause of most sicknesses is lack of spirit. Or being poor in Spirit.
ghetufool
so it will be a giant cauldron of split-hair spiritual discussion by all willing participants? how dreadful an idea!if you think you would escape me so easily, that is not going to happen. if i have some criticism, i will write that in the comment section of your post only. mwhhhhhaahahaaa …Vincent
Vincent
It will be on a different site, gf, and I would welcome you to it, except that you seem to thrive more on bad-mouthing than on encouragement. So you will be banned.
Well, I’ll set up a site soon. And you’ll be welcome to visit, V, and be cross-examined on your views, or find that others share them.
Charles Bergeman
Vincent, I would appear that you have become fascinated with the contents of Pandora’s Box.
Vincent
Charles, please remind me what were the contents of Pandora’s box!
Charles Bergeman
I admit, I’m curious.
Annie Wicking
I love Blake’s work thank you for sharing it with us.’Hope’ was all that was left in the box when Pandora open it and let out all the ills of the world. Happy Easter, Vincent, much peace and love to you and your family.
ghetufool
banned!!! noooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have good news and bad news, Ghetufool. You are still banned from the new site. But I won’t be setting it up, after all.—“Which is the good news and which is the bad?”
Vincent
Thanks, Annie. You have been quiet lately on your site. It must be a good sign.I borrowed from the library Tracy Chevalier’s (author of Girl in a Pearl Earring) novel Burning Bright which has an artisan family coming to London from Dorset and taking lodging next door to Mr & Mrs Blake. It’s well-researched but from what I have read – I am not bothering to read it all through – reveals little to the devotee of Blake’s true genius. That’s being unfair of course. We must look to directly to his works for that.
ourladybeth♥
Off subject, but that picture is very reminiscent of Winged Victory of Samothrace. I adore that sculpture.
joanne
i realized how long it had been since i had dropped by to actually say hello to you, Vincent, and yet these last several posts have been especially enjoyable (and the comments as well)… this image caught my eye for some reason… and then to my surprise i learn it is an image of Satan… i’m not quite sure what to make of my fascination with that….
Vincent
Joanne, it is true that Satan has had a bad press for a long time, but Blake had a few good words to say for him. And in any case, the portrait is from the time before his fall, so you are free to admire without guilt or taint!
Vincent
Beth, it was only after following up your link that I discovered that the Winged Victory of Samothrace was the Goddess of Victory, Nike, who received an undisclosed posthumous fee for sponsoring a range of running shoes.
Vincent
Well, I’ll set up a site soon. And you’ll be welcome to visit, V, and be cross-examined on your views, or find that others share themSearch
a wayfarer’s notes 