PASTORIO THE OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE TROLL WROTE:

Nah, John. Just because the folks who do it like to wear lab coats
doesn't make it a science.

> psychology
> http://www.wordsmyth.net/live/home.p...chty pe=exact
> "the study or science of mental, emotional, and behavioral states and
> processes."

A study isn't necessarily science. The scientific method is what
determines that definition. Recording what happened isn't science,
that's cataloguing. Watching rats and extrapolating isn't science,
it's statistical guessing.

> Second, the American Psychological Association amended its bylaws in
> 2001 to recognize "promoting health" as one of its major missions.

Well, of course they did. The old business hasn't done very well so
they needed to branch out. The old "buying a friend" biz has fizzled.

> Thorn B & Saah P. Notes from the APA Council of Representatives
> meeting. Health Psychologist, 2001, 23(3)5.8.
>
> Third, there is a relatively new field called health psychology.

Gotta do something when the old core business isn't working.

> health psychology
> http://216.251.232.159/semdweb/Inter...SP/1557230.asp
> "the aggregate of the specific educational, scientific, and
> professional contributions of the discipline of psychology

See, these guys call it a "discipline" rather than a science.

> to the
> promotion and maintenance of health, the prevention and treatment of
> illness, the identification of etiologic and diagnostic correlates of
> health, illness, and related dysfunction, and the analysis and
> improvement of the health care system."

At first glance, it looks like they're out to practice medicine
without actually doing that. Except, upon scrutiny, they're just
writing more words on paper. Promote and maintain health. Noble.
Prevent and treat illness...? Psychologists are going to treat
illness? Don't think so. Ah, now we get into something, um, solid.
They're going to do their statistical stuff with identifying things.
And complaining about the health care system. Probably gonna try to
get their rates up and get it all covered by insurance.

Pah. Science, my ass.

> Fourth, psychologists have been practicing alternative medicine for
> quite a long time when they use biofeedback, hypnotherapy, or
> cognitive behavior therapy to treat a medical condition.

But it's all very funny how they can't seem to *prove* much about how
their activities have done much to improve the human condition. Or
change human technology. Or change human philosophy. Or change human
actions. Failed "science," John. No "science" to speak of.

> Alternative medicine was yesterday's quackery, is today's
> complementary medicine, and will be tomorrow's new branch of medicine.
> http://tutorials.naturalhealthperspe.../glossary.html

Right. And it'll still be called quackery. Euphemisms don't change the
essential character of a fact.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960222.html
Lift well, Eat less, Walk fast, Live long.