< Richard Smith(1991)editor of the British Medical Journal stated that only
15% of medical interactions are supported by solid scientific evidence, and
an estimated 10-20% of the techniques that physicians use are empirically
proven. Do we see them throwing out the baby with the bath water? >>

***Regrettably this comment by Smith has been applied with huge abandon by
many in the world of 'complementary healing' and fringe science to suggest
that much of medicine is guesswork.  It would be accurate to state also that
scientists do not even know definitely what matter is and how it interacts
through what we call forces, fields and so on.  Indeed, we do not really much
about anything on earth or within ourselves, yet we seems to be able to
achieve a great deal with all of this ignorance or virtual realities of what
we think things are.  We have many theories and hypotheses, but very little
evidence that anything is unquestionably supported by any solid science.  All
we have in most disciplines is a collection of paradigms, models and
analogues, yet with these mental representations of reality (not the
'reality' itself), we are able to construct radios, TVs, computers,
satellites and myriads of other technological  and chemical marvels.

Was Smith implying that most drugs were somehow developed on the basis of
guesswork or luck or did he acknowledge that plenty of very logical science
was used to create drugs to match what the scientists considered    to be
useful models of disease states and processes?  While I acknowledge that
trial and error play a very important role in medical treatment, I posit
that, in many cases, the healing approaches are based upon some very
intelligently devised and computed models of biological processes.

Note well that, while I am putting forward these thoughts I also acknowledge
that some complementary therapies can be very effective and should form an
essential adjunct to the healing approach so that we have continuum of many
different methods stretching between the abstract and the concrete, the
mental/spiritual and the physical.  However, I cringe when I notice how many
alternative therapists try to vindicate what they are doing on the basis of
pseudoscientific jargon, such as balancing the fields, using quantum healing,
manipulating the energy flux, facilitating nonlinear processes, removing
blocks and so forth.

If only 15% of medical interactions are supported by solid scientific
evidence, then probably less than 1.5% of alternative methods are supported
by scientific evidence.  Of course, this does not mean that one should
discard all complementary methods - one needs to keep fringe ideas, like
medical methods, in the right perspective and not let the impression be
created that medical science is sheer mythology 85% of the time.

<What will this new reality present to us to investigate. Phenomena such as
the power of consciousness, spirituality, chaos theory, and quantum physics
we become the "eyeglasses" of the future.>

*** While I am by no means suggesting that you subscribe to the belief that
some special healers can call about unusual powers or capabilities which seem
to transcend the boundaries of logic and matter, there are some people who do
believe widely in supernormal abilities.   Despite the claims made by
spiritual healers, gurus and similar beings, not one has ever in modern times
taken up the Million Dollar Challenge by the Randi Foundation to prove the
existence of such capabilities.  Surely there must be just one of them who
would care to make an easy million dollars to donate to his/her favourite
spiritual or social cause?  What about those TV evangelicals who claim
healing after miraculous healing - or even Yuri Geller?  Why has none of them
ever come forward to make a quick million dollars?  For those who may be
interested in the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) Million Dollar
Challenge, here are some details:

http://www.randi.org/research/index.html

"At JREF, we offer a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under
proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or
occult power or event. The prize is in the form of negotiable bonds held in a
special investment account. The JREF does not involve itself in the testing
procedure, other than helping to design the protocol and approving the
conditions under which a test will take place. All tests are designed with
the participation and approval of the applicant. In most cases, the applicant
will be asked to perform a relatively simple preliminary test of the claim,
which if successful, will be followed by the formal test...."

Finally, lest some of you think that my comments imply that I am
anti-religion, anti-intuition, anti-alternative   or anti-establishment, let
me point out that I have my own very strong belief or spiritual system, but
it is one that tries not to allow common sense and the desire to "prove all
things" to be totally stifled by dogma and mythology.  I certainly have had
my own share of unexplained and curious events in my life.

Dr Mel C Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/