Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life

by Rory Sutherland

The psychologist Nicholas Humphrey argues that placebos work by prompting the body to invest more resources in its recovery.* He believes that evolution has calibrated our immune system to suit a harsher environment than the current one, so we need to convince our unconscious that the conditions for recovery are especially favourable in order for our immune system to work at full tilt. The assistance of doctors (whether witch or NHS), exotic potions (whether homeopathic or antibiotic) or the caring presence of relatives and friends can all create this illusion, yet policymakers hate the idea of any solution that involves such unconscious processes – too little is spent on researching the placebo effect in proportion to its importance.