Speech reveals beliefs impact on power over the brain

CHRIS CAMPELLONE CLC726@CABRINI EDU STAFF WRITER

Beliefs are important to the lives of many people and they have an extreme power over the one who possesses them. Andrew Newberg M.D., professor of radiology, psychiatry and religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania, stressed the power of beliefs on the brain during his lecture “Born to Believe: God, Science and the origin of ordinary and extraordinary beliefs,” in the Grace Hall boardroom on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Newberg’s lecture consisted of both scientific data and a number of anecdotes that were up for interpretation. Newberg told a story about a man who was diagnosed with cancer and was given an experimental drug. He began to get better and then when he discovered the drug was a placebo he passed away. Newberg used this story among others to get across the message of how powerful placebos, and more importantly beliefs, are on the brain and how they can affect people.

“Beliefs have a tremendous power over many aspects of our lives,” Newberg said. What we believe and how different people interpret the same data are unique.

Newberg stressed being cautious while interpreting data. He conducted brain scans on people while they were in prayer that showed increases of activity in some areas and a decrease in others.

“We have to be very cautious about how he interpret the data,” Newberg said. Newberg discovered that people of faith interpreted the data as proof that God exists, while atheists interpreted the data as the exact opposite, as proof that there is no God.

While Newberg spent a lot of the lecture discussing how powerful the brain is, he also discussed its shortcomings.

“Brains perceive things that aren’t real,” Newberg said. He showed slides of different optical illusions, allowing the crowd to draw their own conclusions. For the most part the brains were fooled into seeing something that wasn’t real.

For Newberg, beliefs are a part of everyone’s life, including atheists. Newberg said that atheism is definitely a belief system. Although it may not be a traditional kind it is a belief system nonetheless. Newberg also stressed that many beliefs are engrained into people at birth by their parents, and they eventually tend to seek relationships with other like-minded people.

When Newberg was asked if he was a man of faith, he responded carefully by saying that he has his own beliefs but does not strictly follow a certain belief system. Newberg said he was excited to learn more and conduct more experiments in the pursuit of empirical proof.

“Beliefs are the essence of our being,” Newberg said at the conclusion of his lecture. Newberg then played on Descartes’ famous saying of “Cogito, ergo sum” which literally means, “I think, therefore I am,” by saying simply “Credo, ergo sum,” which can be translated as “I believe, therefore I am.”

2007-2008 Loquitur Staff/Editorial Staff

Editor in Chief Kaitlin Barr

Deputy Editor Liz Lavin

Managing Editor Nicole Osuch

News Editor Jamie Hufnagle

News Editor Ashley Cook

A & E Editor Grayce Turnbach

A & E Editor Katie Clark

Features Editor Brittany Lavin

Perspectives Editor Jillian Smith

Sports Editor Jessica Hagerty

Copy Editor Megan Pellegrino

Copy Editor Vickie Papageorge

Events Editor Diana Vilares

Adviser Dr. Jerome Zurek

Staff Writers

Jonathan Barnett

Michael Bieker

Christopher Blake

Laura Lombardi

Brittany McLeod

Christina Michaluk

Christopher Campellone Sarah Pastor

Alicia Cook

Nicole Duggan

Danielle Feole

Nicholas Pitts

Samantha Randol

Christy Ross

Liz Garrett Meghan Smith

Christine Graf

Jessica Storm

Jessie Holeva Mallory Terrence

Danielle Kaine

Robert Kallwass

Shannon Keough

Lauren Townsend

Diana Trasatti

Jake Verterano

Ryan Kirby Britany Wright

Our Mission Statement

The Loquitur is Cabrini’s College weekly, student-run, campus newspaper. It is widely respected as the voice of students, staff, faculty, alumni and many others outside the Cabrini community. The Loquitur has earned its position by advocating for self expression through freedom of speech, and by serving as an outlet for readers to affect change on campus and off.

Founded in 1959, the Loquitur has thrived and greatly expanded its readership. The paper now has over 2,000 online readers and 1,500 print readers on a weekly basis.

Our mission is to provide readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions freely, in an environment where their voices are effectively heard and respected.

The Loquitur: You Speak. We Listen

Loquitur is a laboratory newspaper written, edited and produced by the students of COM 353, 352, 250 and 251. Subscription price is $25 per year and is included in the benefits secured by tuition and fees. Additional copies are $1 each. Loquitur welcomes letters to the editors. Letters to the editor are to be less than 500 words. These are usually in response to a current issue on campus or community area. Guest columns are longer pieces between 600 and 800 words and also are usually in response to a current issue on Cabrini College campus or community. Letters to the editor and guest columns are printed as space permits. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content. Name, phone number and address should be included for verification purposes. Personal attacks and anonymous submissions will not be printed. Letters to the editor and guest columns can be submitted to loquitur@googlegroups.com or to the newsroom mailboxes in Founders Hall 264.