Mind Over Matter and Ice Cubes

In summary: Magic?" series.In summary, my friend told me about an article he read 50 years ago about prisoners being blindfolded, told they were going to be cut with a razor, and having an ice cube rubbed on them. Apparently it felt like a razor and because of "mind over matter" the prisoners actually got cut and started bleeding. I've been trying to figure out if this has any basis in an actual article or if my friend is just remembering something badly. Has anybody else heard of this or know where this legend came from?
  • #1
Llamarama
1
0
A friend of mine told me a while ago about this article he read ~50 years ago about some prisoners being blindfolded, told they were going to be cut with a razor, and having an ice cube rubbed on them. Apparently it felt like a razor and because of "mind over matter" the prisoners actually got cut and started bleeding. I've been trying to figure out if this has any basis in an actual article or if my friend is just remembering something badly. Has anybody else heard of this or know where this legend came from? I'm usually pretty good at finding things on the internet, but none of my searches turn up anything, and it doesn't help that a Google search of 'mind over matter + ice' turns up 10 pages of lyrics for Ice-T's song "Mind Over Matter." Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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  • #2
I too have heard and read such claims. In particular, I have even seen psychologists claim the mind over matter business as the "scientific explanation" for alleged cases of stigmata, which in itself qualifies as crackpottery. If this were true, it would be as amazing as the stigmata claim.

As a sideline to this, we have the placebo effect, which we know to be real.
 
  • #3
I would believe that they would feel the pain and experience the feeling of being cut. But if the mind can indeed cut the body itself it would have to have a means to. What I'm getting at is that there is no organ or tissue under the skin that could exert a force to cut the skin. Either that or we don't know much about the human body...
 
  • #4
I highly doubt this... it would be a big thing if it were demonstrable. People would put that on youtube in under 9 nanoseconds.

Screenshot or it didn't happen... lol
 
  • #5
Yeah as bassplayer said I am sure they could've misinterpreted the signals as the brain deals with that however to the fact of actually causing wounds.. the brain does not have a link to EVERY single cell therefore cannot control all the cells in such a way that could cause it to cut.
 
  • #6
If I stare at an ice cube long enough, I can make it melt! A clear case of "mind over matter".
 
  • #7
Interesting question perhaps more so because I can not remember answer that I got, for example, on Discovery channel. I think that people can get a rash from immune system and display some reactions.

Btw, isn't it amazing that Chinese man called "magnetic man" who can attract metals and not by magnetic force? Saw it several times on Discovery. My guess is something like static electricity.

:-)

(love magneto)
 
  • #8
giann_tee said:
Btw, isn't it amazing that Chinese man called "magnetic man" who can attract metals and not by magnetic force? Saw it several times on Discovery. My guess is something like static electricity.

:-)

(love magneto)

Or, perhaps the effect results from boloney?
 
  • #9
HallsofIvy said:
If I stare at an ice cube long enough, I can make it melt! A clear case of "mind over matter".

I will make a wild leap of faith that when you do this, the ambient temp is above freezing. :biggrin:
 
  • #10
Ivan Seeking said:
I will make a wild leap of faith that when you do this, the ambient temp is above freezing. :biggrin:

You know in this notification email for new replies it says "There may also be other replies," but it would be humanly impossible to talk about the impossible. I believe in magnetic man.
 
  • #11
giann_tee said:
it would be humanly impossible to talk about the impossible.
How deliciously ironic -- your statement disproves itself!
 
  • #12
giann_tee said:
I believe in magnetic man.

Why; because you saw it on TV?
 
  • #13
giann_tee said:
Interesting question perhaps more so because I can not remember answer that I got, for example, on Discovery channel. I think that people can get a rash from immune system and display some reactions.

Btw, isn't it amazing that Chinese man called "magnetic man" who can attract metals and not by magnetic force? Saw it several times on Discovery. My guess is something like static electricity.

:-)

(love magneto)

the trick is to embed a magnet under the skin.


as for the ice cutting trick... i call b.s. it's about as useful a piece of data as reading anecdotes like this:

There is a story that a group of experimenters etched the sigil of the elemental spirit of wind onto a printed circuit board. The board was subject to a high density fluctuating magnetic field (using various frequencies until an effect was noted). After a few minutes of excitation, the wind outside the building took on tornadic velocities and the building collapsed as the wind entity attempted to interphase with the resonator.

maybe next someone would like to debunk the "experiments" shown every week or so an episode of the "Sci-Fi" channel's "Ghost Hunters"
 
  • #14
Proton Soup said:
the trick is to embed a magnet under the skin.

I seriously doubt it.

maybe next someone would like to debunk the "experiments" shown every week or so an episode of the "Sci-Fi" channel's "Ghost Hunters"

They claim to collect various forms of evidence in the form of audio, video, temperature measurements, etc. The most obvious explanation is that all of the interesting evidence is faked. Of course we don't know that to be true.

Note the distinction here: Magneto man, or whatever his name is, could perform in front a university staff any day he chooses. Since this feat of magic is allegedly reproducible on demand, the fact that we haven't seen a scientific paper published is all but proof that it's a hoax.
 
Last edited:

1. What is meant by "mind over matter"?

"Mind over matter" refers to the idea that our thoughts and beliefs have a powerful influence on the physical world around us. It suggests that our minds have the ability to control or manipulate physical objects or events, often through the power of our thoughts and intentions.

2. How does this concept relate to ice cubes?

This concept can be applied to ice cubes in various ways. For example, some people believe that by using the power of their mind, they can prevent ice cubes from melting or even make them freeze faster. Others may use visualization techniques to make their drinks colder simply by thinking about it. Additionally, some studies have shown that our thoughts and intentions can actually affect the molecular structure of water, which could potentially impact the freezing and melting process of ice cubes.

3. Is there any scientific evidence to support this concept?

While there is some anecdotal evidence and personal experiences that support the idea of mind over matter, there is currently no scientific evidence to definitively prove its validity. Some studies have shown that mindfulness practices and visualization techniques can have a positive impact on physical health and well-being, but more research is needed to fully understand the extent of the mind's influence on the physical world.

4. Can anyone harness the power of mind over matter?

It is believed that everyone has the potential to harness the power of mind over matter, but it may require practice and training to do so effectively. Some people may naturally have a stronger ability to focus their thoughts and intentions, while others may need to develop these skills through techniques such as meditation and visualization.

5. Are there any real-world applications for this concept?

While the concept of mind over matter may seem abstract, it has been applied in various real-world scenarios. For example, some athletes use visualization techniques to improve their performance, and some patients have reported using their mind to reduce pain and aid in healing. Additionally, the concept has been explored in fields such as quantum physics and psychology to better understand the relationship between our thoughts and the physical world.

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