Below is a philosophical exchange I had with a materialistic thinker on a site called Quora where people can ask and answer various questions. I have anonymized the exchange to lift it out of the personal at the suggestion of a reader.

What problems have arisen in medicine in the past 5 years?

Interlocutor 1

Written Nov 17 ·

The biggest problem in medicine is the incursion of “alternative” medicine into the marketplace, government regulations, and medical schools. There are now hospitals so cruel as to offer acupuncture to cancer patients. Naturopaths and homeopaths are getting, or close to getting, licensure in many states. Some medical and nursing schools are including crap courses such as Reiki. It’s not that this is all that’s new in the last 5 years, but with the rise of the NCCIH

nih.gov

sucking tax money away from real science it’s getting worse.

And, of course, we’ve seen worsening vaccine compliance in many areas during the last 5 years. There are signs that this deadly tide of stupidity may be turning, but too many children are being killed or injured by it.

Medicine’s big challenge is one of communication and education. The conspiracy theorists have too many people fearing “big pharma” and thinking that their doctor is making them sick on purpose. It’s a despicable thing to believe.

Mark Hancock

The real trend is the dehumanizing of medicine. Evidence based medicine is problematic in that though it is a useful tool, epistemologically it is just a framework for viewing. The Euclidian framework had to be surpassed to understand many modern issues in physics. Materialism can’t truly heal as it can’t understand life. It can become highly technical but how to apply this in a human and healing way? This is our modern issue in medicine.

Interlocutor 1

Materialism is all that actually exists. Science is the only way to know what medicine works.

            

Mark Hancock

The fact that we think and can have a discussion proves that there is more to the world than matter. How can a twitch perceive itself?

I agree with your second point. I propose there can be a science of the spirit.

Interlocutor 1

No it doesn’t. The fact that we can think is evidence that we can think. Nothing beyond the brain is required to explain thought. That’s just an appeal to ignorance.

              

Mark Hancock

The track of logical thought follows it’s own rules inherent in the thinking. One does not think rationally due to synapses firing-fire one way or another we know logic, math, and train of thought to relate due to the content of our thoughts. It is related to the brain only in that we need a brain to experience this thought. It is a logical fallacy to equate causality where there is only Co – incidence. Even if that Co incidence is necessary for the experience.

 

Interlocutor 1

There is no evidence of anything besides the brain being involved in thought. Nothing beyond the brain is needed to explain thought. There is tons of evidence that the mind is what the brain does. Dualism is discredited and unnecessary.

Your assertions lack any evidence or prior plausibility.

                

Mark Hancock

You may freely create the evidence by thinking!

Interlocutor 1

It doesn’t work that way.

            

Mark Hancock

I agree that dualism is unnecessary. You seem to place a lot of faith in the power of thought, friend. To say “It doesn’t work that way” implies some certainty. If thinking is some excretion of matter and follows the matter’s rules, not it’s own, then I would trust thinking as much as a corporate controlled media. But thought can be known and seen to follow rules internal to the thoughts. You disagreeing only proves this to be the case.

Interlocutor 1

I have no idea what that word salad even means.