Effect of mind on brain activity

Here is a study which empirically connects the mind and beliefs to brain responses. In other words, the mind is influencing matter.

"Mental functions and processes involved in diverse forms of psychotherapy exert a significant influence on brain activity. With regard to the placebo effect, beliefs and expectations can markedly modulate neurophysiological and neurochemical activity in brain regions involved in perception, movement, pain and various aspects of emotion processing. The findings of the neuroimaging studies reviewed here strongly support the view that the subjective nature and the intentional content of mental processes significantly influence the various levels of brain functioning (e.g. molecular, cellular, neural circuit) and brain plasticity."

H.T.atheistcrimes

Dualism at Massimo's Place

I have violated my (somewhat malleable) principle of not commenting on other blogs, by placing two comments on Massimo Pigliucci's blog article regarding physicalism vs. dualism. I really didn't expect them to see daylight (Massimo has 86'd some of the other comments I have attempted there), but he has allowed them this time. Since they go counter to the standard Atheist anti-dualism position, they might generate some interesting reading.