Merrick wrote:
but I don't know exactly why, indeed we can't know - the interplay of body and mind are unfathomably complex, and the placebo effect tells us there's a lot more at work there than we understand.
I don't think we're going to see completely eye-to-eye on this Merrick, so I'm happy to leave this discussion unresolved. I do see your points, and I would agree wholeheartedly if it wasn't for my friends experience.I do, however, think it is important to remain open-minded, for the very reasons you state in the quote above!