Eric Mead: The magic of the placebo

譯者: Ching-Yi Wu 審譯者: Wenjer Leuschel

For some time I have been interested in

這一陣子我

the placebo effect,

對安慰劑效應感到興趣

which might seem like an odd thing

對一位魔術師而言

for a magician to be interested in,

對此感興趣似乎有點怪

unless you think of it in the terms that I do,

除非你和我對此事

which is, "Something fake

有相同看法，即「若某個人對某造假之事

is believed in enough by somebody

信得夠深，則該人

that it becomes something real."

對該事會信以為真」

In other words, sugar pills

換句話說，糖丸子

have a measurable effect in certain kinds of studies,

在某些研究裡會產生可度量的效應

the placebo effect,

即「安慰劑效應」

just because the person thinks

只不過因為人以為

that what's happening to them is a pharmaceutical

所服用的是藥物

or some sort of a --

或什麼的...

for pain management, for example,

以疼痛控制為例

if they believe it enough there is a measurable effect in the body

信得夠深也會對身體產生

called the placebo effect.

可度量的安慰劑效應

Something fake becomes

造假的東西

something real

就變成真的了

because of someone's perception of it.

只因人的感知受到了影響

In order for us to understand each other,

為了讓我們互相了解

I want to start by showing you a rudimentary,

我先讓各位看一個很簡單

very simple magic trick.

粗淺的魔術手法

And I'm going to show you how it works. This is a trick

我來讓大家看看那是怎麼弄的

that's been in every children's magic book since at least the 1950s.

這個把戲最晚在1950年代就已出現在每一本小朋友的魔術書裡

I learned it myself from Cub Scout Magic in the 1970s.

我是在1970年代從《幼童軍魔術》書裡自學的

I'll do it for you, and then I'll explain it.

我先表演，然後做解釋

And then I'll explain why I explained it.

然後我會解釋為什麼我做解釋

So, here's what happens.

嗯，過程是這樣的：

The knife, which you can examine; my hand, which you could examine.

大家可以檢查這把刀和我的手

I'm just going to hold the knife in my fist like this.

我把袖子捲起來，再像這樣

I'll get my sleeve back.

把刀子握進拳裡

And to make sure nothing goes up or down my sleeve

要確定沒有東西

I'm just going to squeeze my wrist right here.

進出我的袖子，我還握住手腕這裡

That way you can see that at no time

這樣大家可以看到

can anything travel, as long as I'm squeezing there

只要我握住這裡

nothing can go up or down my sleeve.

就沒有東西能進出我的袖口

And the object of this is quite simple.

這個戲法相當簡單

I'm going to open my hand,

我會鬆開拳頭

and hopefully, if all is well,

如果順利的話，可望只依靠

my pure animal magnetism will hold the knife.

我的動物磁力就能吸住這把刀

In fact it's held so tightly in place

它的確牢牢黏在手上

that I can shake it,

即使我晃動它

and the knife does not come off.

刀子也不會掉掉下

Nothing goes up or down my sleeve,

並沒有東西進出袖口

no trickery. And you can examine everything.

沒有作弊，大家可以徹底檢查

Ta-da!

他～搭～～！

(Applause)

（掌聲）

So, this is a trick that I often teach to young children

我常拿這個把戲教導對魔術有興趣的孩子們

that are interested in magic, because you can learn

因為儘管把戲的手法很簡單

a great deal about deception by studying

仔細探究

this very -- even though it's a very simple trick methodologically.

可以學到不少有關「欺騙」的技巧

Probably many of you in the room know this trick.

在座也許有人知道這個把戲

What happens is this.

我是怎麼辦到的？

I hold the knife in my hand.

我把刀拿在手上

I say I'm going to grab hold of my wrist

說「我要握住我的手腕

to make sure nothing goes up or down my sleeve,

確定沒有東西進出我的袖口」

that is a lie.

這是個謊言

The reason I'm holding onto my wrist

我之所以握住手腕

is because that's actually the secret

是因為這其實就是

of the illusion.

造成錯覺的秘訣

In a moment when my hand moves from facing you

就在我把拳頭從面向你們

to being away from you,

轉成背向你們的時候

this finger right here, my index finger is just going to shift

這邊這根食指會從這裡

from where it is, to a position

移到那裡

pointing out like this.

像這樣指向外頭

Nice one.

夠妙吧？

Someone who didn't have a childhood is out there.

在座可有人沒有渡過童年的？

(Laughter)

（笑）

So, it goes like this, from here, right.

那麼，食指從這兒移到那兒

And as I move around my finger shifts.

我移動時就把手指轉到那兒

And we could talk about why this is deceptive,

現在來談談為什麼這能用來騙人

why you don't notice there are only three fingers down here,

為什麼大家沒注意到這下面只有三根指頭

because the mind, and the way it processes information,

因為我們的腦袋處理資訊

it doesn't count, one, two, three. It groups them.

並非「1, 2, 3」這樣細數，而是攏在一起看的

But that's not really what this is about. Right? And then I open my hand up.

但真正的重點並不在此，對吧？

Obviously it's clinging there, not by animal magnetism,

然後我打開拳頭，刀子顯然被按在手心，不是被生物磁吸住

but by chicanery,

我這是騙人的

my index finger being there.

我的食指按在這裡

And then when I close my finger, same thing,

當我再握拳時，同樣地

as I move back, this motion

我這移回去時就是在

kind of covers the moving back of my finger.

掩飾把手指移回去的動作

I take this hand away. You give the knife out.

我把這隻手拿開，你把刀拿走

There is a trick you can do for your friends and neighbors. Thanks.

這個把戲你可以表演給你的朋友或鄰居看。謝謝。

Now, (Laughter)

那麼（笑）

what does that have to do with the placebo effect?

這跟安慰劑效應有什麼關係？

I read a study a year or so ago

我大概一年前讀到一個研究

that really blew my mind wide open.

讓我大大開竅

I'm not a doctor or a researcher, so this, to me,

我不是醫生或研究者

was an astonishing thing.

所以這事兒令我大為訝異

It turns out that if you administer

研究說，如果服用的安慰劑

a placebo in the form of a white pill,

是白色的藥錠

that's like aspirin shaped --

像阿斯匹靈那種形狀

it's just a round white pill -- it has some certain measurable effect.

不過一顆白色的丸子就能產生某種可度量的效應

But if you change the form that you give the placebo in,

但如果改變這顆安慰劑的形狀

like you make a smaller pill,

像是把安慰劑做得小一點

and color it blue, and stamp a letter into it,

顏色改成藍色，打個字母上去

it is actually measurably more effective.

其可度量的效應就會變得更明顯

Even though neither one of these things

即使這兩種的哪一種

has any pharmaceutical -- they're sugar pills.

都不含藥物－都是糖丸子罷了

But a white pill is not as good as a blue pill.

可是白的那顆不如藍的那顆好

What? (Laughter) That really flipped me out.

有這樣的事？（笑）這讓我抓狂了

Turns out though, that that's not even where it stops.

研究還說，事情不只如此

If you have capsules,

用膠囊的效應比任何形狀的錠劑

they're more effective than tablets in any form.

還更顯著

A colored capsule, that's yellow on one end and red on the other

有顏色的膠囊，一端黃的一端紅的

is better than a white capsule.

比白色的膠囊更有效

Dosage has something to do with this.

劑量也有關係

One pill twice a day

一天兩顆

is not as good at three pills --

不比一天三顆有效

I don't remember the statistic now. Sorry.

記不得統計數字了，抱歉

But the point is ...

不過，重點是：

(Laughter) ... these dosages have something to do with it.

（笑）劑量有關係

And the form has something to do with it.

形狀也有關係

And if you want the ultimate in placebo,

那麼要讓安慰劑效果達到極限

you've go to the needle.

你得試試針劑

Right? A syringe with some inert --

對吧？針筒裡裝某些無害的物質

a couple CCs of some inert something,

大概幾毫升的無害物

and you inject this into a patient ...

注射到病患體內

Well this is such a powerful image in their mind,

這對病患會產生強大的意象

it's so much stronger than the white pill.

呃，比白色丸子有效多了

It's a really, this graph, well I'll show it to you

這真是！有一張圖，呃，我再秀給大家看

some other time when we have slides.

－有投影片的時候

The point is

重點是

the white pill is not as good as the blue pill

白色丸子不如藍色丸子

is not as good as the capsule is not as good as the needle.

也不如膠囊，更不如針劑...

And none of it has any real pharmaceutical quality,

而這些東西實際上都不含藥物

it's only your belief that makes it real

不過是你的信念在你的身體裡

in your body and makes a stronger effect.

讓藥效成真，還產生更強的效應

I wanted to see if I could take that idea

我想試試能不能把這個點子

and apply it to a magic trick.

用在魔術手法上

And take something that is obviously a fake trick

讓某個明顯是造假的把戲

and make it seem real.

看起來像是真的

And we know from that study

我們從那個研究得知

that when you want reality, you go to the needle.

如果要達到真實的效果，那就用針

This is a seven-inch hatpin. It's very, very sharp,

這是七吋長的帽針，非常非常尖銳

and I'm going to just sterilize it a tiny bit.

我先來把他稍微消毒一下

This is really my flesh. This is not

這真的是我的肉喔！不是

Damian's special-grown flesh.

Damian Marley那種特別的老肉

That's my skin right there. This is not a Hollywood special effect.

我的皮膚在這裡，不是好萊塢的特效

I'm going to pierce my skin

我要來刺穿我的皮膚

and run this needle through to the other side.

還要讓針穿到另一邊

If you're queasy -- (Laughs)

要是你會反胃（笑）

if you faint easily -- I was doing this for some friends

要是你容易暈倒－昨晚在旅館房裡

in the hotel room last night, and some people that I didn't know,

表演這個給一些朋友看，有些我不認識的人

and one woman almost passed out.

結果有位女士幾乎昏倒

So, I suggest if you get queasy easy

所以我建議，如果你容易反胃

that you look away for about the next 30 --

接下來30秒請看別的地方...

in fact, you know what, I'll do the first bad part behind it.

好吧，那我手臂朝內進行

You'll get to see, you can look away too if you'd like to.

最糟糕的部分，大家還看得見，要不然看別的地方也行

So, here is what happens, right here,

嗯，過程在這兒

the beginning of my flesh

我從我的手臂

at the lower part of my arm I just make

偏下方的肉開始

a little pierce.

鑽一個小洞

I'm sorry, man. Am I freaking you out?

抱歉，各位，嚇到你們了嗎？

OK, and then just through my skin a tiny bit,

然後呢，稍微刺進一點我的皮膚

and then out the other side like this.

然後從我的手臂另一邊刺出來

Now, essentially we're in the same position we were in

嗯，這個位置基本上和先前表演

with the knife trick.

小刀魔術的位置相同

(Laughter)

（笑）

Sort of.

可以這麼說

But you can't count my fingers right now can you?

但各位現在無法數我的指頭吧？

So, let me show them to you. That's one, two

那我就讓大家看看

three, four, five.

這兒有1, 2,3, 4, 5根

Yes, well...

呃，這樣對吧...

I know what people think when they see this.

我知道看這的時候會想什麼

They go, "Well, he's certainly not dumb enough

觀眾會想：「呃，這傢伙當然

to stab himself through the skin to entertain us for a few minutes.

不會笨到刺穿皮膚來取悅我們幾分鐘吧？」

So, let me give you a little peek.

所以讓你們稍稍看一下。

How's that look out there? Pretty good.

這樣看起來怎樣？不錯吧！

(Laughs)

（笑）

Yeah, I know. (Laughs)

是的，我知道。（笑）

And the people in the back go, "OK, I didn't really see that."

坐後面的想：「好吧！其實我沒看清楚」

People in the satellite room are starting to move in now.

隔壁小廳的現在開始進來了

Let me give you good close look at this.

讓你們看個仔細

That really is my skin. That is not a Hollywood special effect.

這真的是我的皮膚，不是好萊塢特效

That's my flesh, and I can twist that around.

這是我的肉，我可以這樣轉動長針

I'm sorry. If you're getting queasy, look away,

抱歉，如果開始反胃了

don't look at the thing.

請看別的地方，不要看它

People in the back or people on video years from now watching this

坐後面的人或數年後

will go, "Well yeah, that looks kind of neat

看錄影的人會想：「是啊！看來很俐落

in some sort of effect there, but if it were real he would be --

效果不錯，但如果是真的，那他...看這兒

see there's a hole there and a hole there, if it were real he would be bleeding.

有個洞，那兒也有...如果是真的，那他應該會流血」

Well let me work up some blood for you.

好吧，我來弄點血給大家看。

(Laughter)

（笑）

Yes, there it is.

是的，血在這裡！

(Applause)

（掌聲）

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Normally now, I would take the needle out.

通常呢，我現在會把針拿出來

I would clean off my arm, and I would show you that there are no wounds.

手臂清乾淨，讓大家看我的手臂上並沒有洞

But I think in this context

不過現在這個情境裡，我想

and with the idea of taking something fake

為了維持「把造假的事

and making it into something real,

弄成像真的」那個想法

I'm just going to leave it there,

我還是把針留在手臂上

and walk off the stage.

就這樣離開舞台

(Laughter)

（笑）

I will be seeing you several times over the next few days.

這幾天我還會與各位相遇幾次

I hope you're looking forward to that. Thank you very much.

我希望大家同樣期待能再相見。謝謝大家。

(Laughter)

（笑）

(Applause)

（掌聲）