Faith healing:proof of god, or placebo effect?

There is (as well as the options described above) the possibility that the condition which has been 'cured' was psychosomatic in nature (e.g. caused by post-traumatic stress).
In such a case: placebos are the best treatment.Also, a question often asked: "why aren't amputees ever healed?"
All these healers all over the world, but no amputees have had limbs regrown.Going back to your point about prayer: the 'healing by prayer' logic has many holes.
There is no way to tell if prayer works.
Ultimately you will be told that "god moves in mysterious ways"
Or you may be told that "the person praying was not devout enough" (but there is no measurement of 'devout', except whether prayer works).One thing I have never seen explained is why it requires more than one person to pray (e.g. for a specific person to be healed).
The more friends you have: the more healing you get?Hmm...my post rambles around a bit.
Maybe someone will find some part of it interesting. Edited by Panda, : typso

It is a kind of "healing of the gaps".
As soon as Lazurus Syndrome (LS) is explained then they will have to stop claiming it as their own.
Unfortunately, since there has only been ~40 recorded instances of LS, I expect an explanation will not be soon coming.I was saw on QI that people used to think that blowing tobacco smoke up someone's bum would "resuscitate victims of near drowning".
People will literally try anything when desperate.

No such luck: they used a pipe or bellows.It would seem that romance died out years ago. Edited by Panda, : No reason given.

A couple of years ago I read a report on a small test group that were taught to consciously affect renal function.
Using biofeedback they learned to control their kidneys in a certain way.
As part of the 'trial and error' aspect of biofeedback, they were told to try different expressions.
I don't remember if grinning was effective.Unfortunately I cannot remember any more detail and I am unable find that report. But here is a list of other tests/treatments using biofeedback.

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Biofeedback is the process of becoming aware of various physiological functions using instruments that provide information on the activity of those same systems, with a goal of being able to manipulate them at will.

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The treated conditions are quite varied, but they include epilepsy, stroke, high blood pressure, etc.I think biofeedback could be considered a 'bridge' between psychosomatic/placebo healing and conscious/intentional healing.

Firstly: "big effect size" is so vague it becomes meaningless.
Secondly: Argument from self-knowing.

You'll note from my example that there is more to it than 'scrunching one's forehead'.

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lyx2no: Got a lab report where grinning reduces BUN?

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Panda: Here is a list of tests/treatments using biofeedback.

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lyx2no: I've a hard time taking a lot of it seriously when a pain metric is how tightly one scrunches ones forehead.

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Panda: You'll note from my example that there is more to it than 'scrunching one's forehead'.

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True enough. You'll note that you were not talking about placebos.The answer to the facile question "Got a lab report where grinning reduces BUN?" is "Yes.".
Your refusal to believe the evidence has no effect on it's validity.

People do prescribe a positive attitude (to everybody continuously).
But not everyone listens, so people are tricked into 'self-healing' by being given a placebo. If a car is speeding towards us we don't automatically run away. We have to intentionally avoid the object.
There are many things that are required for our survival that have to be initiated by our minds. What is being suggested is that placebos cause the mind to heal the body.
Much the same way a feint attack will cause a boxer to dodge. The attack may not be real, but the reaction to it is. (The feint is not 'magic'.) It is related to the question "Got a lab report where grinning reduces BUN?".
It also addresses any comment about the brain being unable to control our physiology beyond its normal behaviour.

I hope they fix you up quick sharp.Until then, be strong and hopefully you will be back spamming this forum soon.

My (mostly cynical) answer is in 3 parts...1) There is no money in placebo treatments. You can't patent a 'non-treatment'.
2) There is lots of money in selling fake treatments / faith healing / snake oils.
3) There actually is research happening, but science has a certain 'inertia' that requires time to overcome. How they reacted supports my third comment.

This doesn't relate to my reply at all. What do drunken drivers have to do with any kind of treatment. You seem to be rambling.I guess that you couldn't defend your point other than by claiming no-one is providing evidence.
Unfortunately for you, I have provided evidence - a link that you claimed to have read.
It is only you that is making unsupported arguments. I wasn't conflating them.
I was talking about the placebo effect, not biofeedback.
This should have been apparent from "What is being suggested is that placebos cause the mind to heal the body." - which you even quoted. No. We should ascribe that specific salivary response to the wax bead placebo. That sounds correct.
Did someone claim that there should be?
I think you are probably conflating placebo effect with biofeedback. People don't need to know what the 'long words' mean - they just need to think that the placebo will work.
Did someone claim that people had to know medical terminology for placebos to work? "what new motive or information has the Dr. added to allow me to remedy it now?" ... hmmm ... what are we talking about ... ummm ... Oh! I remember!
A placebo! So you are happy to support 'suggestibility' as a cause, but not 'placebo effect'?
But as placebos involve suggestibility, denying 'placebo effect' also denies your 'suggestibility'.
(I am also chuckling at your "I have read many reports - but I don't believe them!" comment.) I hope Phage makes a more cogent argument than you do.
You seem to have forgotten whatever point you were trying to make.Edited by Panda, : No reason given.Edited by Panda, : No reason given.