I don't know... it all looked like pretty questionable science, to me.

But even given that "hope" is good for you (which I'm sure is true,and despair is bad for you) there is no such thing as "hope" without an object. Hope must be IN something, or someone.

Scientists bidding the masses "go and be more hopeful" doesn't make much sense. Hopeful in what?

Not to mention that, in the world of atheistic materialism, "hope" cannot be proven to exist.
Tim J. | Homepage | 09.30.08 - 2:14 pm | #

My sister was going through a bad bout of depression and finally went to a secular counselor through Kaiser-Perm. When the counselor found out that my sister believed in God, part of her 'homework' was to pray! Turns out that prayer helps people recover from depression faster.

Who would have thought?????
Faith | 09.30.08 - 6:58 pm | #

Was it Carl Jung who said something along the lines of, "If everyone was a practicing Catholic who went to Confession, I would be out of business."

Someone give me the accurate quote on that one, please.
Teresa | 09.30.08 - 9:43 pm | #

For their next experiment, they're going to put people in an electric chair and see if those who believe in afterlife are less afriad of dying as they're shocked to death.

Didn't they outlaw this type of research!?!
Ken Crawford | Homepage | 09.30.08 - 10:00 pm | #

But even given that "hope" is good for you (which I'm sure is true,and despair is bad for you) there is no such thing as "hope" without an object. Hope must be IN something, or someone.

Reminds of the psychologists burbling about how good "peak experiences" are for you and how it doesn't matter whether they reveal anything of reality or not.
Mary | Homepage | 09.30.08 - 10:05 pm | #

"Didn't they outlaw this type of research!?!"

Volunteers being given electric shocks?

It's required that the subject be fully informed and consenting but otherwise it's considered ethical and it's not actually unusual.

My psych prof told us stories about his experiences as a research subject in studies of the pain blocking abilities of hypnosis. (it didn't work for him, but it can block the perception of pain for some people)

Now as someone who's been shocked by a electric cow fence more then once, electric shocks vary in painfulness depending on location and energy.
Emily Bell | 10.01.08 - 9:04 pm | #