Faith
Healing
Faith
healing is a cooperative form of magical thinking involving
a healer and a patient in which (a) both healer and patient
believe in the healing power of spirits or other mysterious
healing mechanisms; (b) the healer consciously or unconsciously
manipulates the patient into believing he or she has cured the
patient's ailment by prayer, hand movements (to unblock, remove,
restore, etc. some intangible "energy"), or by some other unconventional
ritual or product; and (c) the patient validates the healing
by giving signs that the healing has worked, such as walking
without a brace for a short period, breathing freely, feeling
relief from pain, or simply thanking the healer for the "miraculous
cure." Furthermore, faith healing can occur at a distance. There
is no need for the patient and healer to meet, as the processes
that occur are said to transcend the usual limitations of space
and time
Some alleged cures have involved mistaken diagnoses that required
no cure at all, much less a miraculous one. Some may have involved
the post hoc fallacy: a healing, for whatever reason, is credited
to the faith healer when the only evidence provided is that
the healing took place after the session with the healer. Most
cases of faith healing need no cure, since most patients will
get better even if they receive no treatment at all (Hines 2003).
Some serious ailments like cancer and multiple sclerosis abate
for months or years for reasons we don't understand (Nickell
1993: 134). There is an "impressive variety of ... ailments,
ranging from back pains to hysterical blindness, [that] are
known to be highly responsive to the power of suggestion." The
"main requisite for curative effects" is "the patient's belief
in the practitioner's assurances." And, having a positive attitude
seems to enhance the body's healing capacities
