Is there any good reason to believe a placebo effect would not apply to a p-zombie, with the 'belief' just being a particular pattern in the brain that causes the organism to relax and think positive thoughts? — andrewk
Yes it might be a bit dry.Well, one thing a p-zombie can do, is totally suck the meaning out of any philosophical dialogue.
Yes, I wouldn't limit it to behaviour though, its more physiological, I think. A person follows a behaviour pattern determined by their personality, which includes their mind states. A placebo does something which effects physiological, or metabolic processes in the body, irrespective of the action of the personality and it seems belief has something to do with this.Well, the placebo effect is just plain open evidence that certain beliefs can alter behavior. Whether there some immaterial force or entity inducing these brain states to arise is beyond me.
Well I personally feel that a dialogue that tries to make scientific arguments for or against a proposition that cannot be approached by science - such as the nature of consciousness, or the existence or non-existence of god - is a dialogue that we all benefit from being 'sucked dry', because such arguments cannot lead anywhere or give rise to anything interesting. Realising how dry and pointless they are allows us to move on to more fruitful lines of thinking (or practice) about consciousness, meaning or gods, untramelled by faux scienciness.Well, one thing a p-zombie can do, is totally suck the meaning out of any philosophical dialogue. — Wayfarer
...a dialogue that tries to make scientific arguments for or against a proposition that cannot be approached by science... — andrewk
it's true, I do wonder why I waste so much time here.
I'm not sure what your point is here. — unenlightened
There really isn't one. It's just that I'm wondering what's causing the placebo effect?
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