Acupuncture

[Aught3]

Using needles to stimulate the brain? That sounds reasonable :roll:

 

[CupOfWater]

Ok, let's say it doesn't work. Why did they continue doing it when it was first invented in china? I mean, people would notice that it doesn't work... And they gain nothing from it either, if it doesn't work.

 

[ImprobableJoe]

Ok, let's say it doesn't work. Why did they continue doing it when it was first invented in china? I mean, people would notice that it doesn't work... And they gain nothing from it either, if it doesn't work.

Well... compared to nothing at all? There are a few studies that show that the illusion of control is beneficial compared to a feeling of no control. Plus, if something killed 10,000 people, but 11,000 people got acupuncture, you have 1000 people saying acupuncture saved their lives.

 

[Aught3]

Placebo!

Why do people keep praying, why do they go to chiropractors, why do they use homeopathy, why do they talk to mediums? People can be sold any kind of magic/superstition/quackery and there are always others willing to take advantage of that.

 

[Homunclus]

Ok, let's say it doesn't work. Why did they continue doing it when it was first invented in china? I mean, people would notice that it doesn't work... And they gain nothing from it either, if it doesn't work.

In the middle ages it was a common practice to bleed out patients to cure fever. Not only that didn't help, it actually made things worse. Of course eventually they did stop and you could argue that people in the far east of that period were far more advanced...

But even so...