Entangled, or tied in knots?

This, and the previous issue of Homeopathy, feature two articles which throw into sharp relief a fundamental debate about the way in which homeopathy works. The debate centres around whether the effects of homeopathy are due to local or non-local causes. The ‘local causality hypothesis’ is the traditional explanation; the action of homeopathic medicines is pharmacological (or at least quasi-pharmacological), due to some specific factor contained in the medicine. Current thinking favours some form of information storage in the physical substrate, although this is not essential to the theory.

• References

• 1 Walach H. Magic of signs. a non-local interpretation of homeopathy. Br Hom J 2000; 89: 127-140.
• 2 Hyland M. Extended network generalized entanglement theory. therapeutic mechanisms, empirical predictions, and investigations. J Altern Comp Med 2003; 9: 919-936.
• 3 Weingärtner O. What is the therapeutically active ingredient of homeopathic potencies?. Homp 2003; 92: 145-151.
• 4 Milgrom L.R. Patient practitioner entanglement part 6. Miasms revisited. non-linear quantum theory as a model for the homeopathic process. Homp 2004; 93: 154-158, and other articles in this series
• 5 Walach H. Homeopathic proving symptoms. result of a local, non-local or placebo process?. Homp 2004; 93: 179-185.
• 6 Fisher P. Research review. Homp 2004; 93: 163-165.
• 7 Endler PC, Heckmann C, Lauppert E, et al. The metamorphosis of amphibians and information of Thyroxin storage via the bipolar fluid water and on a technical carrier data; transference via an electronic amplifier. In: Schulte J, Endler PC, (eds) Fundamental Research in Ultra High Dilution and Homoeopathy. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht, 1998, pp 155–187.
• 8 Atmanspacher H., Römer H., Walach H. Weak quantum theory. complementarity and entanglement in physics and beyond. Found Phys 2002; 32: 379-406.
• 9 Milgrom L.R. Patient practitioner entanglement part 1. a qualitative, non-local metaphor for homeopathy based on quantum theory. Homp 2002; 93: 239-248, And preceding articles in this series