Conspicuous by its absence: the Memory of Water, macro-entanglement, and the possibility of homeopathy

In order to fully comprehend its therapeutic mode of action, homeopathy might require both ‘local’ bio-molecular mechanisms, such as memory of water and ‘non-local’ macro-entanglement, such as patient–practitioner–remedy (PPR) descriptions.

Keywords

homeopathy - locality - non-locality - memory of water - macro-entanglement

• References

• 1 Shang A., Huwiler-Muntener K., Narty L. et al. Are the clinical effects of homeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of homeopathy and allopathy. Lancet 2005; 366: 726-732.
• 2 Schiff M. The Memory of Water: Homeopathy and the Battle of Ideas in the New Science. London: Thorsons (HarperCollins), 1995, and references therein.
• 3 Davenas E., Beauvais F., Amara J. et al. Human basophil degranulation triggered by very dilute antiserum against IgE. Nature 1988; 388: 816-818.
• 4 Collins JC. Water: The Vital Force of Life. Molecular Presentations, New York, 2000.
• 5 Atmanspacher H., Römer H., Walach H. Weak quantum theory: complementarity and entanglement in physics and beyond. Found Phys 2002; 32: 379-406.
• 6 Bellavite P, Signorini A. Homeopathy: A Frontier in Medical Science. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books 1995, and references therein.
• 7a Walach H. Magic of signs. Br Hom J 2000; 89: 127-140.
• 7b Walach H. Entanglement model of homeopathy as an example of generalised entanglement predicted by Weak Quantum Theory. Forsche Komplementarmed 2003; 10: 192-200.
• 7c Milgrom L.R. Patient–practitioner–remedy (PPR entanglement, part 4. Towards classification and unification of the different entanglement models for homeopathy. Homp 2004; 93: 34-42.
• 8a Nadeau R., Kafatos M. The Non-local Universe: The New Physics and Matters of the Mind. Oxford New York: Oxford University Press; 1999.
• 8b Aspect A., Granger P., Roger R. et al. Experimental realisation of Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen–Bohm gedanken [thought] experiment: a new violation of Bell's inequalities. Phys Rev Lett 1982; 49: 91-94.
• 9a Scarani V. Quantum Physics, A First Encounter: Interference, Entanglement, and Reality. Oxford: Oxford University Press, UK; 2006.
• 9b Aczel A. Entanglement; The Greatest Mystery in Physics. Chichester, UK: John Wiley and Sons; 2003.
• 9c Cramer J.G. The transactional interpretation of quantum mechanics. Rev Mod Phys 1986; 58: 647-687.
• 10a Collingwood R.G. An Essay on Metaphysics. Oxford: Clarendon Press, UK; 1948.
• 10b Pepper S.C. World Hypotheses: A Study in Evidence. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 1942.
• 11 Quieroz J., Merrell F. Abduction: Between Subjectivity and Objectivity. Semiotica 2005; 153 (01/04) 1-7.
• 12 Sackett D. Evidence-Based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM. New York: Churchill-Livingstone; 2000.
• 13a Holmes D., Murray S.J., Perron A. et al. Deconstructing the evidence-based discourse in health sciences: truth, power, and fascism. Int J Evid Based Healthc 2006; 4: 180-186.
• 13b Barry C.A. The role of evidence in alternative medicine: contrasting biomedical and anthropological approaches. Soc Sci Med 2006; 62: 2646-2657.
• 14a Popper K. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. New York: Basic Books; 1959.
• 14b Latour B. Science in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers through Society. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press; 1987.
• 15 Kant I (translated by Smith NK, Caygill H.) Critique of Pure Reason. Basingstoke UK: Palgrave-Macmillan; 2003.
• 16a Zeilinger A. Quantum experiments and the foundations of physics. Talk given to the Brookhaven National Laboratory, February 28, 2001
• 16b Zeilinger A. Quantum teleportation and the nature of reality. 2004. Online document at: http://www.btgjapan.org/catalysts/anton.html (accessed 9th February 2007).
• 17 Hirst S.J., Hayes N.A., Burridge J. et al. Human basophil degranulation is not triggered by very dilute antiserum against IgE. Nature 1993; 366: 626-627.
• 18 Belon P., Cumps J., Ennis M. et al. Histamine dilutions modulate basophil activity. Inflamm Res 2004; 53: 181-183.
• 19 Gould I.R. Computational chemistry: applications to biological systems. Mol Simulation 2001; 26: 73-83.
• 20 Chaplin M. Water structure and behaviour. http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/ (accessed 9th Ferbruary 2007).
• 21 Prigogine I., Stengers I. Order out of Chaos. London, UK: Fontana; 1985.
• 22 Hankey A. Are we close to a theory of energy medicine?. J Alt Complement Med 2004; 10: 83-86.
• 23 Kleinert H. Gauge Fields in Condensed Matter; Vol. 1. Superflow and Vortex Lines. Singapore: World Scientific; 1989. pp. 1–742.
• 24 Roy R., Tiller W.A., Bell I., Hoover M.R. The structure of liquid water; novel insights from materials research; potential relevance to homeopathy. Mat Res Innovat 2005; 9 (04) 559-576 (On-line; http://www.matrice-technology.comwww.matrice-technology.com ).
• 25 Smith C.W. Quanta and coherence effects in water and living systems. J Alt Complement Med 2004; 10: 69-78.
• 26 Del Guidice E., Preparata G., Vitiello G. Water as a free-electron dipole laser. Phys Rev Lett 1988; 61: 1085-1088.
• 27 Samal S., Geckler K.E. Unexpected solute aggregation in water on dilution. Chem Commun 2001; 21: 2224-2225.
• 28a Rey L. Thermoluminescence of ultra-high dilutions of lithium chloride and sodium chloride. Physica A 2003; 323: 67-74.
• 28b van Wijk R., Bosman S., van Wijk E.P.A. J Alt Complement Med 2006; 12: 437-443.
• 29 Milgrom L.R., King K.R., Lee J., Pinkus A.S. On the investigation of homeopathic potencies using low resolution NMR T2 relaxation times: an experimental and critical survey of the work of Roland Conte et al. Br Hom J 2001; 90: 5-13.
• 30 Elia V., Niccoli M. New physico-chemical properties of extremely diluted aqueous solutions. J. Thermal Anal Calorimetry 2004; 75: 815 and references therein.
• 31a Gribbon J. Q is for Quantum. London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson; 1998.
• 31b Al-Khalil J. Quantum: a guide for the perplexed. London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson; 2003.
• 32 Landau L.J. Experimental tests of general quantum mechanics. Let Math Phys 1987; 14: 33-40.
• 33 Auyung S.Y. How is Quantum Field Theory Possible?. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1995.
• 34 Spiegel M.R. Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of Complex Variables. New York, USA: McGraw-Hill; 1999.
• 35 Hahnemann S. in: Hochstetter K. The Organon of Medicine. 6B ed. 1977. Santiago: Chile;
• 36 Gernert D. Towards a closed description of observation processes. BioSystems 2000; 54: 165-180.
• 37 Weingärtner O. What is the therapeutically active ingredient of homeopathic potencies?. Homp 2003; 92: 145-151.
• 38a Walach H. Generalised entanglement: a new theoretical model for understanding the effects of complementary and alternative medicine. J Altern Complement Med 2005; 11: 549-559.
• 38b Walach H. Homeopathy as semiotic. Semiotica 1991; 83: 81-85.
• 39 Hyland M.E. Extended network generalised entanglement theory: therapeutic mechanisms, empirical predictions, and investigations. J Altern Complement Med 2003; 9: 919-936.
• 40 Greenberger D.M., Horne M.A., Shimony A. et al. Bell's theorem without inequalities. Am J Phys 1990; 58: 1131-1143.
• 41 Milgrom L.R. Towards a new model of the homeopathic process based on Quantum Field Theory. Forsch Komplementärmed 2006; 13: 167-173.
• 42 Milgrom L.R. Patient–practitioner–remedy (PPR) entanglement, part 3. Refining the quantum metaphor for homeopathy. Homp 2003; 92: 152-160.
• 43 Milgrom L.R. ‘Torque-like’ action of remedies and diseases on the vital force, and their consequences for homeopathic treatment. J Altern Complement Med 2006; 12: 915-929.
• 44 Milgrom LR. Is a unified theory of homeopathy and conventional medicine possible?. J Altern Complement Med submitted for publication.
• 45a Milgrom LR. Journeys in the country of the blind: entanglement theory and the effects of blinding on trials of homeopathy and homeopathic provings. Evid Based Complement Alt Med 2006: doi:10.1093/ecam/nel062
• 45b Milgrom L.R. Are randomised controlled trials (RCTs) redundant for testing the efficacy of homeopathy? A critique of RCT methodology based on entanglement theory. J Altern Complement Med 2005; 11: 831-838.
• 46 Bohr N. Can a quantum mechanical description of physical reality be considered complete?. Phys Rev 1935; 48: 609-702.
• 47 Stapp H. Harnessing science and religion: societal ramifications of the new scientific conception of human beings. Network 2001; 76: 11-12 and references therein.
• 48 Milgrom L.R. The sound of two hands clapping: could homeopathy work locally and non-locally?. Homp 2005; 94: 100-104.
• 49 Walach H., Sherr J., Schneider R., Shabi R., Bond A., Rieberer G. Homeopathic proving symptoms: result of a local, non-local, or placebo process? A blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study. Homp 2004; 93: 179-185.
• 50 Möllinger H., Schneider R., Löffel M. et al. A double blind randomized homeopathic pathogenic trial with healthy persons: comparing two high potencies. Forsche Komplementarmed 2004; 11: 274-280.
• 51 Dominici G., Bellavite P., di Stanislao C., Gulia P., Pitari G. Double-blind placebo-controlled homeopathic pathogenic trials: symptom collection and analysis. Homp 2006; 95: 123-130.
• 52 Milgrom L.R. Entanglement, knowledge, and their possible effects on the outcomes of blinded homeopathic provings. J Altern Complement Med 2006; 12: 271-279.
• 53 Schmid G.B. Much ado about entanglement: a novel approach to test non-local communication via violation of local realism. Forsch Komplementärmed 2005; 12: 206-213.